Adventures of the edge
by NightLightning21
Summary: Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs' time on the edge. They try to train new dragon species and battle Vigo's dragon hunters. There is also a blooming romance between Hiccup and Astrid. For strictly Hiccstrid fans, be warned, they don't get together right away. They have normal teenage relationship problems, but if you hang on, they will get together.
1. Training the master of death

Hiccup groaned, feeling his back slam against the wall. Training the whispering death was no easy task. Toothless immediately came to his defense, shooting a warning plasma blast.

"Thanks bud," Hiccup muttered. He got up, wincing at the flash of pain. He'd been trying to train new species for weeks now, without much luck. With the dragon's eye, he'd found a whole array of new species. Now the only problem was training them. He'd tried to start with familiar dragons, that he'd never trained before. He'd move on to the more unique and rare dragons later.

"Ha ha. Nice job Hiccup," Snotlout mocked. "I'm pretty sure that's not how you train a dragon. But you always were good at getting your butt kicked." Hiccup glared up at Snotlout, willing his temper to calm.

"Well then Snotlout. Would you like to give it a try?" He asked. Snotlout laughed at him, jumping down into the arena.

"You just have to show these guys who's boss," He bragged, going directly at the dragon.

"Umm Snotlout. I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Fishlegs called out.

"I know. That's why he's doing it," Tuffnut retorted.

"No I'm serious. Whispering deaths have poor eyesight. They are known to lash out at anything they can't see," Fishlegs said, distressed.

"I'll be fine," Snotlout called out, still heading towards the dragon. Hiccup glanced at Astrid, worried. She simply shrugged, looking back at Snotlout. Hiccup gave her a look, knowing she was almost looking forward to Snotlout getting burnt to a crisp. Not that anyone would let that happen. The whispering death finally noticed Snotlout creeping up on it, and whipped around, narrowing it's bleary red eyes. It's spikes went up on it's tail, preparing to attack. Hiccup could see the ambush coming.

"TOOTHLESS," he yelled. Toothless had already reared up, and was firing a purple blast. The whispering death was thrown into it's cage, and lay there huddled up. Snotlout was just thrown to the ground.

"Do it again," Ruffnut pleaded. Hiccup glared at her, entering the arena.

"Snotlout we talked about directly approaching a whispering death. We studied them," He paused, seeing Snotlout's blank face. "In flight club. Don't you remember anything?" Hiccup asked, exasperated.

"Umm nope," Tuffnut butted in.

"Ugg," Hiccup exclaimed, walking away. He climbed on Toothless, announcing that he was going back to his house.

Hiccup sighed, resting on Toothless' back. Frustration threatened to overwhelm him. They desperately needed more trained dragons to fight back against the dragon hunters. He'd just learned that Vigo had gained hundreds of new hunters. They had been attacking the island for weeks now. They had already injured Stormfly, and right now, the academy didn't have any extra dragons. For so long, they were focused on training their own dragons, they hadn't thought about training others. Right now, Hiccup was training two different dragons. The whispering death and a young scauldron they'd found. Neither had been very friendly. He still had a burn mark from where a drop from the venomous scauldron had scorched him.

"You okay?" Astrid asked. She had been riding with Hiccup ever since Stormfly had been injured. Hiccup had almost forgotten she was there, and practically fell out of his saddle. Astrid immediately grabbed ahold of his shirt, hauling him back up.

"Thanks," Hiccup said. Astrid only nodded in response. She was deep in thought, about training the whispering death.

Astrid narrowed her eyes in concentration. She had tried to pick up small details in the whispering death's behavior. Something just didn't add up. The dragon seemed to respect confidence, but at the same time attacked it. When Snotlout had attacked, he had an aggressive confidence. When Hiccup tried, he had quiet confidence. The whispering death attacked both. But maybe to Astrid… Astrid darted her eyes around, thinking heavily. They landed on the edge, and Hiccup jumped off, turning around to help Astrid off.

No wait Hiccup. Can I borrow Toothless?" She asked. Hiccup gave her a confused look, but nodded his head.

"Thanks," Astrid said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek spontaneously. Hiccup was looking at her in shock, so Astrid took this time to fly off.

"Come on Toothless. Take me to the academy." They had built a similar academy on the edge, not wanting to always be flying back to Berk. With Toothless' speed, they quickly made their way to the academy.

"I need you to stay here," Astrid said at the entrance. Toothless obediently sat down, waiting for her to come back. Astrid entered the academy cautiously, looking for the whispering death's cage. She quickly found the cage, steeling her nerves for a second before leaving the lever to open the cage. The whispering death had seen this many times, and prepared to some out. But the girl did something different. Astrid closed the cage again. She was in the cage with the whispering death.

"It's okay buddy," Astrid said comfortingly. "I'm not going to hurt you. But I won't back down either." The whispering death glared at her stood firm and tall, but lowered her eyes respectfully. _Astrid you're either a genius or a complete muttonhead_ , she thought to herself. The whispering death was slowly approaching her, slithering along the ground. Slowly Astrid lifted her her eyes up, meeting the dragon's. Immediately the dragon lashed out. Astrid quickly leapt away from the spiked tail. But she stood her ground, not running. The dragon reeled back, confused and suprised. Astrid looked at it again, and this time it didn't attack.

"Good job," Astrid said. She could now see from the size of the wings that the dragon was a girl. The dragon was still very skittish, and was flitting back and forth from trusting to suspicious. She would come towards Astrid, then rear back. They continued their dance for the next several minutes, both beginning to trust one another. Finally, Astrid began slowly approaching the whispering death, slowly but steadily. At first, the dragon lashed out, instincts from being cornered. Astrid dodged the spines, but continued to proceed. Eventually, she approached the giant dragon.

"You've got quite the temper," Astrid commented. The name Tempest swirled into her mind.

"You like the name Tempest?" She asked. The dragon sniffed suspiciously, leaning in to nudge Astrid. She let Astrid touch her, feeling along her jawline.

"Hi Tempest," Astrid murmured. Tempest responded by nuzzling her. She was still weary and cautious, but was letting Astrid pet her, gently smoothing down her spines. Now for the moment of truth. Astrid gently reached out her hand, closing her eyes and turning away. For a few seconds, nothing. But slowly, Tempest began to approach her, reaching out and brushing Astrid's hand. Astrid grinned, and let out a sigh of relief. She had trained the whispering death.

 **Hello new readers. I know this story may not seem very Hiccstrid but it is. Just keep reading until chapter 3 when the Hiccstrid plots start. Trust me.**


	2. Changewing Riot

Changewing Riot

"Come on Tempest," Astrid murmured, trying to coax the dragon outside. Tempest just snarled, and hid further in her cage. Astrid sighed in frustration, pushing her sweaty bangs to the side of her forehead. Tempest was determined to only train at night. The only problem was that Vigo could attack at any time. Hiccup had wanted Astrid to get Tempest at least able to fight in the daylight. So far, there was no such luck. Tempest was fine around fire, so that light didn't bother her. But the sun was like a kryptonite. Tempest shied away from Astrid's touch, her tail flicking nervously. Astrid knew there was no way she was persuading the whispering death to come out. She sighed in defeat, exiting the cage.

"Astrid. I thought I might find you here." Astrid whipped around to see Hiccup and Toothless entering the academy.

"Hiccup it's getting late. What is it?" Astrid asked, wearily. HIccup glanced past her at the whispering death, still in it's cage.

"No luck?" He guessed. Astrid nodded, clearly showing her disappointment. "I'm sorry," he sympathized. "But night terrors just came back from Changewing Island. There's been trouble."

HIccup glanced at Astrid, just behind him. She'd wanted to ride Stormfly, but Fishlegs had strictly protested that Stormfly shouldn't be ridden for the next couple weeks. Tempest wasn't quite ready for riders, so that left Astrid with no dragon. Luckily, Toothless could easily carry the extra weight.

"There it is," Hiccup called out. "Changewing Island." The island itself wasn't anything special. But danger lurked within the trees. Hiccup cautiously flew above the treeline, scanning the forest for any signs of movement.

"Okay gang. Let's land in that clearing," he shouted above the wind. He could feel Toothless' strong wings beating as the night fury lowered himself to the ground. Hiccup leapt off, glancing around warily. There was nothing. No movement from the trees except for Snotlout and Hookfang.

"Okay. We don't know what we're dealing with here. But be on the lookout for anything. It could be rogue dragons, or it could be the trappers. Keep your eyes peeled." With that, he led Toothless further into the dark forest.

"Alright bud, give us some light." Toothless shot a plasma blast at a large boulder, illuminating the trees surrounding. A small rodent scurried out of the way, but otherwise there was nothing. Something was nagging at Hiccup. Everything was just too silent. He was about to consult Astrid when Toothless hurled him a few feet away from the trees. Hiccup skidded across the ground, recovering quickly and leaping up. The place where he'd been standing was now soaked in green acid.

"RIDERS! CHANGEWING ATTACK!" he yelled. Within moments they were surrounded by angry red dragons.

"I got this," Snotlout said, signaling for Hookfang to torch them.

"Wait Snotlout," Fishlegs called out. He was too late. Hookfang's fire coupled with the flammable acid threw rider and dragon alike into the brush. The explosion sent Hiccup careening into the stone, immediately knocking him out.

Astrid woke with a groggy feeling. She tried to move, but her reflexes felt sluggish and her head was fuzzy.

"Hiccup?" she called out desperately. Feeling was slowly coming back into her legs and arms, but so was the pain. Amazingly, she didn't think anything was broken. Slowly, gingerly she flexed her limbs, gritting her teeth against the pain. Her memory was also beginning to swim back. They were searching for changewings. Then the blast and she remembered seeing Hiccup go flying into the rock. Hiccup! Astrid forced herself to her feet, her worry for Hiccup driving her. She remembered the rest of the riders, and felt a little guilty for just thinking of Hiccup. Although she knew she'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit he was special. Astrid was never one to hesitate with her feelings, but for some reason Hiccup was different. She'd had a previous boyfriends, but none of them made her nervous or make her confused about her feelings.

"Stop it," she ordered herself. "You have bigger things to worry about right now than boy drama." She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, peering into the dark forest.

Finally, she had to rest. Judging from the moon's placement, it was close to midnight now. Not the best time to be out in the forest. She ran her hands through her hair, thinking about her next move. Her fellow riders were out there somewhere, maybe hurt, maybe still unconscious. She didn't even let her mind wander to death. _Come on Astrid. Think_ , she commanded herself. She should first try to find a dragon. Hopefully one of her own, not a wild one. She stumbled through the forest, no longer caring about being silent. If any changewings were going to attack they would have already. She wasn't ready to risk calling out, but instead looked for any signs of life.

After about ten minutes, Astrid found the scene of the original blast. If any of the riders were conscious, they could have easily wandered away from the blast zone, unknowingly. She saw a familiar shape in the trees, and recognized Barf and Belch. The dragon turned around, ready to fight, but recognized her and stopped. Astrid looked past them to a lump on the ground. She ran to get a better look, seeing it was Ruffnut. Astrid quickly nealt down, examining the wounds. There was a long shallow scratch on her leg, most likely from a tree branch. Her ankle was swollen, and when Astrid gently pushed on it, she woke Ruffnut. She had to duck two blows before Ruffnut recognized her.

"Ruffnut. It's me," Astrid hissed. Ruffnut stopped swinging, looking at Astrid closely. She tried to stand up, but immediately her leg buckled underneath her.

"Wait wait," Astrid said, steadying her. "You're ankle is twisted. You shouldn't put any weight on it."

"What about running?" Ruffnut asked.

"Umm no. That's what you shouldn't be doing."

"Well it might be a smart idea," Ruffnut said, sounding panicked.

"Why?" Astrid asked. Ruffnut pointed a shaky finger behind both of them. Astrid turned around and gasped in horror.

"Vigo."

Hiccup was alerted to danger when he heard the zippleback blast. He'd been flying around the island for five minutes, looking for the riders. He flew back to the blast zone, landing quickly in the clearing. Luckily Toothless was silent, so the hunters didn't see him. Hiccup was barely able to stifle his gasp of horror and surprise.

"Astrid," he whispered. Toothless was practically invisible in the trees, and Hiccup decided to join him there. He glanced around the clearing, seeing if there was anything that could help him. He heard Astrid cry out in pain, and that was the last straw. Mounting Toothless, he reappeared out of the forest, signaling Toothless to fire. The plasma shot just barely missed the hunters, a warning signal. Vigo whipped around, smiling when he saw Hiccup.

"Ah Hiccup. I've been expecting you. Although I must admit, I thought you;d get here faster. Perhaps I've overestimated you." Hiccup bit his tongue to keep himself from hurling something at Vigo. He saw the bloody knife Vigo carried, and the fresh wound on Astrid's arm and put two and two together.

"Let her go," Hiccup snarled. "Let both of them go." He barely recognized his voice it was so low. Vigo simply chuckled.

"You know me Hiccup. You have to give if you want to receive." He was taunting the young dragon rider, testing his temper. Hiccup began to see red, anger clouding his judgement.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"No Hiccup. Don't give him anything he wants," Astrid pleaded. Ruffnut was lying slumped on the ground, probably unconscious because of the pain. Hiccup could see her own anger in her eyes, and knew he reflected it. It felt like a sword through his heart seeing Astrid in pain. His breathing increased, forcing himself to be calm.

"I don't want something that you care about Hiccup. You see, you and your riders provided quite the useful distraction. While you were fighting the changewings, I was able to gather these." He reached into his satchel, pulling out several colorful eggs. Hiccup gasped, his anger rising again.

"I've found that many wealthy clients will want a glowing egg. And recently I've figured out a way to make them glow for quite a while. You see, it's the chromatophores that allow the egg to change color. These are fed by the baby changewing. However I've found that if the baby dies within the egg, it will continue to glow for months. And because of the eggs hardened exterior, the body won't give off any nasty smells." Vigo looked at his hand, looking back at Hiccup. There was a fierce darkness churning in the dragon rider's eyes.

"You're just going to kill these baby dragons? Just like that?" Hiccup asked, his voice failing him. Astrid looked horrified as well.

"Just like that," Vigo confirmed. "However you are going to let me walk away with this precious cargo without firing a shot. In return for this, you can have your girlfriend back. And the weird one as well. Mainly because we don't want her." Hiccup's initial brief flash of embarrassment of the word girlfriend was soon replaced by horror. He had to chose between Astrid and the changewings. He shifted his weight, his mind agonized. He closed his eyes, knowing what he had to do.

"Fine Vigo. Take the eggs. But don't hurt Astrid or Ruffnut." Vigo nodded, pushing the two girls forward. Hiccup grabbed Ruffnut, seating her on Toothless.

"You won't get away with this Vigo," he growled. "I will hunt down each and every one of your men and make you pay for what you've done." Vigo chuckled again, smiling at Hiccup.

"I'm sure you will Hiccup. In the meantime, I have places to be." He signaled to his men, and they disappeared into the forest. Hiccup stared after them, realizing what he'd just done. He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Astrid. No words were needed as Astrid gave him a comforting hug.

"I'm so sorry Hiccup. I know how hard that must have been for you." Hiccup shrugged, pain evident in his eyes.

"Let's just get back to the edge."


	3. Elliot

Elliot

Hiccup glanced at the shield hanging on his wall. It had been three days since Vigo had outsmarted him. He was still quite torn up about the situation. He was supposed to be the dragon trainer. He'd made a vow to protect all dragons. Yet he'd just traded away countless baby dragon lives. He wanted to yell, scream, shout. He ran his hand through his thick brown hair, knowing he was torturing himself. Vigo had won this time. He'd gotten away with the dragon eggs. Hiccup would just have to be better prepared next time. Luckily, Tempest was becoming used to the daylight, and Stormfly was on the mend. _Training_ , he thought. _That's the only way I can prepare for Vigo._ He sat up, thinking hard about what to do. Toothless came bounding into the house, tongue lolling out happily. Hiccup grinned at the sight of his best friend. Toothless had been trying to lift his spirits by dragging him outside for the past couple of days.

"What do you say bud? Want to go flying?" Toothless let out a cheerful roar, motioning for Hiccup to climb on. Hiccup did so and they slipped out of the house. The sun was bright, and the sky was clear which was quite an anomaly the sighed, letting the sun warm him for a few moments. He was relieved by the signs of life on the edge. Snotlout was hauling baskets of fish to the storehouse. Fishlegs was studying the book of dragons outside of his home, with Meatlug by his side. The twins were fighting about Thor knows what, until Ruffnut pushed Tuffnut into a large sack of flour. They both were immediately covered in the fluffy powder. Normally, Hiccup would be annoyed, but now he was just relieved that everyone was okay. Ruffnut would need a few weeks recovery time, but it wasn't anything serious. A strong breezed passed by, ruffling his hair. Hiccup swiped some hair away from his forehead, nudging Toothless to get him flying. Toothless took off like a pigeon, quickly gaining altitude.

Hiccup sighed, feeling the wind blow away his worries. He and Toothless easily rode the wind currents, twirling and flying through the clouds.

"Toothless, want to try a free fall?" Hiccup asked. Toothless looked at him, suspicion in his eyes.

"Come on bud It'll be fun. And it's practically foolproof. You freefall faster than I do." Toothless growled reluctantly in assent. Hiccup slipped out of the stirrup, standing on the saddle. He leapt upwards, flipping once and plummeting back down. Toothless stayed suspended in the air for a few moments, before following Hiccup back down to earth. Hiccup tucked his arms in closer, shooting down like an felt a rush of wind, and saw Toothless speed past him. The dragon dived for a few more seconds before forcing his wings out, and drastically slowing his descent. Hiccup aimed for Toothless' right wing, hitting it with such a force they both were thrown away. Toothless caught Hiccup with his paws, slowly flying back towards the ground. Hiccup saw that luckily, they would land on the shores of edge. Toothless dropped him into the soft sand, getting sand all over him. Hiccup groaned, his back still hurting from when he'd crashed onto Toothless. He stood up, brushing sand off his shoulders and out of his hair.

"Oh Hiccup you're back!" Hiccup turned, confused to where Astrid was looking unnaturally happy. He crossed the beach, confused when he saw someone else with her.

"Hiccup this is Elliot."

Astrid almost instantly sensed the tension between the two boys.

"Hello Elliot," Hiccup said stiffly. Astrid narrowed her eyes, wondering why Hiccup was so hostile.

"Elliot was my friend back on Berk," Astrid explained. "You two never met I'm guessing." Hiccup and Elliot both gave little nods. "Oh well Elliot was my best friend for a while. Until he got transferred to the higher level of training. I'm still mad at you for that," Astrid said playfully, gently shoving Elliot. Elliot smiled at her, shrugging innocently.

"It's not my fault Astrid. I just managed to get the drop on the enemy ships." Astrid glanced at Hiccup who looked like he'd just swallowed a battle axe.

"You're that Elliot? The one that fought off Alvin the Treacherous?"

"You look like you were expecting someone different. And I didn't fight him off. I just stopped his raid."

"It was more than that," Astrid protested. "You knocked Alvin out, and stopped an attack that could have meant Berk's destruction." Elliot shrugged, looking embarrassed. Hiccup was still looking at Elliot in disbelief.

"And Elliot didn't just come here to catch up. He got the changewing eggs," Astrid said. Hiccup's head snapped up at this.

"You what? How?" He stuttered.

"I used Nightwhisper," Elliot said. He pointed to a large outcrop of rocks several feet away. There, stood a magnificent skrill. Pitch black, with white jagged lines marking the lightning. Nightwhisper had dark blue eyes and an obvious strength. He crawled closer, standing next to Elliot.

"We were patrolling when I saw the hunter ship. It must have gotten off course during the rainstorm last night. Nightwhisper was able to set the ship on fire. I saw one of the trappers reach for a large bag. After Nightwhisper blasted him, I retrieved the bag. Unfortunately no warrior walks away from a fight without horrendous battle wounds," he joked, showing a shallow scratch running down about two inches of his arm. Astrid smiled at him, turning back to Hiccup.

"Oh but that's not the best part. Because Elliot had Nightwhisper, I thought a skrill would be very handy to have. Not to mention Elliot's amazing fighting skills. I offered him a position with the riders. He accepted. Elliot's a dragon rider now. He's going to be staying with us on the edge"

 **Hey guys. Thanks for following and favoriting the story. It really means a lot. Please comment about Elliot. Do you like him? Do you think he's a good addition or not? I'll base the story on what you want.**


	4. skrill vs night fury

Skrill vs. night fury

Hiccup felt tidal waves of emotions flood him. He could see the obvious attraction between Astrid and Elliot. Of course, he could understand why. Short light brown hair, framing his face. Elliot had a strong jaw, and light brown eyes. While Hiccup had grown, Elliot stood about three inches taller, and looked significantly stronger. Hiccup couldn't help but feel a small pang of animosity towards the other boy. He wasn't quite ready to admit that he was also feeling jealousy.

"Uhh great," Hiccup said, trying to sound convincing. "We could certainly use you Elliot. Why don't you uh get settled right now?" Hiccup suggested. Elliot nodded, mounting Nightwhisper and flying towards the houses.

"Hiccup what was that about?" Astrid demanded.

"What was what about?" Hiccup asked.

"You know what. Your obvious hatred for Elliot."

"I never said I hated him," Hiccup defended. "As a matter of fact, I didn't say anything at all." He immediately knew he'd said the wrong thing as Astrid practically exploded.

"Yes, exactly," she hissed. "You didn't welcome him, greet him, or even acknowledge he was here." Hiccup sighed, knowing defending himself further would be useless.

"Okay fine. I'm sorry Astrid. Elliot just kind of took me by surprise. But I'm happy to have him here. Really I am." Astrid glared at him a moment longer, before backing down, and walking away. She leapt on Stormfly, following Elliot to the houses. Hiccup groaned aloud, knowing he'd majorly screwed things up. The truth was, he liked Elliot. And a part of him wanted to befriend the other boy. Yet another part couldn't help but despise him. For reasons unknown, there was something about Astrid and Elliot's relationship that extremely bothered Hiccup. He'd known for a while that the mutual attraction was growing between him and Astrid. He'd thought they were close, and he was her closest friend. But seeing her obvious ease with Elliot made him second guess his previous beliefs. _Stop it_ , he told himself. _You need to be worrying about Vigo right now. Not about teenage love problems. Elliot will be a useful asset to the team. That's all that matters._

"You sure you want to train right now?" Elliot asked, warily. "It's getting pretty late."

"I know. That's why we're training now. No matter how skilled that skrill is, there's no way he's as trained as our dragons. You've been here for a week now. It's time you started training to fight." Elliot nodded, although he was still unconvinced. The truth was, night gave Hiccup an advantage over Elliot. Toothless was much more adept to the night than Nightwhisper. A part of him still wanted to best Elliot somehow. He couldn't beat him physically, but through dragons, Hiccup had the advantage.

Astrid flinched as she fet Tempest lurch underneath her. The whispering death was just beginning to learn to have riders on her.

"Woah girl," Astrid comforted. She missed having Stormfly to ride on, but she knew Tempest also had to be trained. She'd approved of Hiccup's plan to do a night training exercise because Vigo had been doing sneak attacks in the cover of darkness lately. Except for Toothless, none of the dragons were adept to nighttime. Hiccup was hoping to change that by doing basic exercises in the dark. He hoped the dragons would develop necessary night navigating skills. A loud commotion startled her, and she turned to see Barf and Belch fighting midflight.

"Guys knock it off," Astrid ordered. "That's dangerous." The dragon snapped at itself a few more times, before seemingly calling a truce and flying peacefully again.

"Just out of curiosity, were you talking to the dragon or us?" Tuffnut asked. Astrid rolled her eyes, making an annoyed grunting sound.

"Okay, just checking," Tuffnut said, still being annoying. Astrid flew faster, heading to the front where Hiccup, Elliot, and Fishlegs were. They made good time, landing on the island within the next ten minutes. Astrid dismounted, walking to the shore. The riders often used this island for training, leading to the name Trainers Island. It had a myriad of different climates there, from caves to seashores. That was the main reason they chose that island. It had different habitats that they could train in. Up in the mountains, there was a permanent winter spot, that carried forest and a large valley. There were large caverns as well as large cliffs surrounding the island. The rest of the riders landed, everyone hopping off their dragons.

"Okay everyone, here's the objective. We will be practicing stealing dragon eggs from the hunters. Use your own judgement about how to get the eggs back. You can use stealth, surprise, or an outward attack. But whatever you do, you must not hurt the dragon eggs," he said, looking pointedly at the twins and Snotlout.

"I'll start with the eggs. There are two and you have to get both. If you do, then you become the dragon hunter. Alright? Good luck. Wait here for a minute." He remounted Toothless, flying towards the north side of the island. Astrid climbed into her saddle, still unsteady on Tempest. She waited several moments before addressing the group.

"Okay we can go now. But let me remind you. This isn't real. Don't use real fire power on Hiccup. If you hurt him, you'd be putting all of us in danger. "Recently, they'd realized that when dragons were sparring with each other, their fire power was different. As it turns out, every dragon had a much weaker blast that was used to warn off enemies. Astrid had also guessed they used this with their babies. The riders began using that to fight with each other, as to not hurt their fellow riders. She nudged Tempest, encouraging her upwards. They flew to the caverns, where Astrid was sure Hiccup would go. Tempest flw confidently in the night, her tail twisting and turning to help balance her.

"Apparently Hiccup forgot that you spent your entire life underground," Astrid commented. Tempest growled in agreement. She was built for life underground.

"Hey girl, do you think you can dig under the cavern?" Astrid asked, knowing she could. Tempest gave the equivalent of a nod, flying upwards before shooting into the earth. She burrowed a small cavern that Astrid could easily walk through. She walked for several meters. Before ordering Tempest to burrow up. The hole was just large enough for Astrid to pull herself through. As soon as she was out, she was almost immediately hit by a lightning blast. Quickly, she rolled away, coming up against the wall. She looked to the source of the blast, squinting in the darkness. There were faint streaks of moonlight coming in, so she could see silhouettes of two riders. The cavern was lit up as a plasma blast was shot at the other dragon. Now, Astrid could see it was Elliot and Hiccup. The two teens were facing each other, slowly circling the cavern. Tempest quietly burrowed upwards, only making the whisper noises of digging. She came up next to Astrid, ready to protect her master. Nightwhisper tried a direct attack, hoping to scare Toothless off. Unfortunately, it took much more than bluster to scare a night fury. Toothless took advantage of Nightwhisper's brief hesitation, knocking him into a wall. Astrid saw her chance. She mounted Tempest, flying just under Toothless. The eggs were in Hiccup's satchel which was in Toothless' saddlebags. Tempest fired rings of fire which surrounded Hiccup and Toothless. Astrid took this chance to grab the satchel handle which was sticking out. Toothless tried to fly, but was caught in the flames. Astrid tugged once, twice before she freed the bag. She quickly put it over her head, disappearing into the ground with Tempest. _Well, that happened_ , she thought.

Hiccup barely saw Astrid before she attacked him. He was still reeling from the sudden burst of light. Toothless landed before Hiccup could fall off, and so did Nightwhisper.

"Hiccup are you okay?" Elliot asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine," Hiccup muttered. He readjusted his position, sitting upright again. He couldn't he hadn't noticed Astrid. He prepared to fly, turning towards the entrance.

"Wait, wanna work together?" Elliot asked. Hiccup didn't turn around, just called out, "Nope. It's supposed to be a single exercise." Toothless took off like an arrow, flying outside of the cavern, back into the night. Determination pierced Hiccup.

"You know what to do Toothless. Find Astrid." Toothless ejected a series of purple rings, searching for Astrid in the darkness. He quickly got a signal, flying towards the cliffs.

They flew as fast as they could, even almost breaking the sound barrier. Astrid was ahead of them, but within sight. Toothless slowed, waiting for the right moment to attack. He seemed to find the right strategy, flying high, then plummeting down. They were within meters of her, when Toothless broke their violent fall. His wings immediately caught their freefall, slowing them greatly. At the same time, he fired a plasma blast, unbalancing Tempest. Hiccup was ready to grab the satchel when he felt something violently collide with him and Toothless. Hiccup gasped in terror as he was thrown from the saddle. Toothless let out a frightened shriek, immediately trying to help Hiccup. One of his claws snagged Hiccup's shirt, at least stopping his fall. Hiccup tried to catch his breath for a second, before climbing back onto Toothless. His arm was badly scratched, and it throbbed with pain. He looked to the source of the attack, recognizing Elliot. The skrill had not only crashed into Toothless and Hiccup, but Astrid and Tempest. Hiccup watched, horrified as Astrid was also thrown from her dragon. Elliot half jumped half fell of his before he was crushed. He caught Astrid mid fall, position himself so that he would take the brunt of the fall. They both crashed into the sand of the beach, rolling to try and stop the impact. Hiccup was already diving down to help them. He landed softly, climbing off Toothless to help them. Tempest and Nightwhisper were slowly picking themselves up, and Hiccup first to help Nightwhisper to his feet. The dragon made a distressed call when he sa his master lying on the ground. Hiccup leapt over an outcrop of rock to try and help Astrid and Elliot. What he saw was quite startling. Astrid was helping Elliot up, laughing with him as he rubbed his back. He smiled back, obviously apologizing. Hiccup glanced back at the dragons, wondering what exactly happened. When he looked back, he wished he didn't. Elliot pulled Astrid and kissed her. The worst part was Astrid looked as though she wanted it too. She voluntarily deepened it, making Hiccup look away. He'd lost her. That much was obvious. She got she wanted, and right now she wanted Elliot. Hiccup could feel his heart tearing apart.


	5. Kidnapped!

Kidnapped

Hiccup pondered the question day and night. _Should I give up on Astrid?_ Of course he didn't want to. But at the same time, he didn't want to set himself up for more heartbreak. He put the ice brick back on his forehead, feeling the blessed relief from his awful headache. He heard a knock on the door, and dragged himself out of bed to open it. He ran his hands through his hair, managing to make it look even worse before he opened the door. Snotlout burst into the room, almost knocking Hiccup over.

"Welcome to my home Snotlout," Hiccup muttered. Snotlout turned around, looking at his exhausted leader.

"Woah what happened to you? You look like a yak ran over you." Hiccup sighed, not wanting to explain his situation to Snotlout.

"I'm just stressed. WIth Vigo and all," Hiccup said, rather unconvincingly. Snotlout looked at him, tipping his head to the side in thought.

"Oh please. I've heard better lies from Hookfang," he retorted.

"You know you've never actually talked to Hookfang," Hiccup remarked.

"Well how do you know? Me and Hookfang have our own language," he boasted. Hiccup chuckled in disbelief. If they had their own language, Hookfang's only phrases would be, "I'm about to throw you into the air." and "Feed me muttonhead."

"Look is there something you wanted?" Hiccup asked, feeling even more tired.

"Actually yes," Snotlout said.

"Well then what is it?" HIccup asked wearily.

"It's about Astrid and Elliot," Snotlout said, looking at Hiccup for his reaction. Sure enough, it was as expected. Hiccup's jaw tightened, and his posture became stiff. His eyes took on a defined look of hostility. Snotlout looked at Hiccup, understanding in his eyes.

"So I'm guessing you heard about the kiss?" he asked. Hiccup stiffened further, his hands clenching into fists. He wasn't sure if Snotlout was just mocking him. Yes he had a tendency to do cruel things, but this didn't feel like the others. Still, Hiccup had a strong urge to punch him. Snotlout seemed to sense Hiccup's anger.

"Hey Hiccup, I know where you are." Hiccup have him an unconvinced look.

"What are you talking about?" Hiccup asked. Snotlout blew a raspberry, quirking his eyebrow.

"Really? You think everyone doesn't see how jealous you are?"

"What are you talking about?" Hiccup spluttered. "I'm not jealous."

"Oh please. You really are a horrible liar. You like Astrid." Snotlout made kissing noises, forming a heart with his hands.

"Okay well maybe I do. But it doesn't matter. She wants to be with Elliot right now," Hiccup said, his heart breaking again.

"I know this might not be the right time. But remember this Hiccup, you only regret the things you don't try. Don't wait too long to tell Astrid how you feel." Snotlout gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, walking back out of his house. Hiccup stayed where he was, pondering Snotlout's advice.

Hiccup paced his room for the next five minutes. Frustration and longing filled him. However, just as he would work up the courage to tell Astrid how he felt, reality would sink back in. He desperately didn't want to ruin his relationship with Astrid. Being romantically involved might ruin the great friendship they already had. He groaned, hating being a teenager. Sure he was 18, but teenage romance troubles still bothered him. Finally, he decided to just go and tell Astrid everything. He was staking their friendship in hopes of something better. His confidence was renewed as he began walking to Astrid's house. Toothless romped behind him, obviously happy that his master was finally making a decision.

"Okay bud, you stay out here," HIccup said, pointing to the pathway. Toothless obediently sat down, folding his wings into a comfortable position. Hiccup steeled himself, before preparing to knock on her door. He had lifted his hand, when he had to dodge the door opening. Astrid and Elliot came out, laughing, until they saw Hiccup.

"Oh hey Hiccup," Astrid greeted him. Elliot waved hello before turning to go to the stables.

"Hey Astrid. You going somewhere?" Hiccup asked, feeling his confidence begin to falter.

"Yeah Elliot and I are going for a sunset flight around the island." Astrid smile at him, heading to find Stormfly. Hiccup's thoughts flew back to when Astrid had first ridden Toothless. That night was magical. And now she was doing the same thing with Elliot. Hiccup jumped on Toothless, wanting to escape to the forest for a while.

Astrid could tell something was off with Hiccup. He'd been so dejected when she'd met him earlier. Her worry had only increased when she saw him and Toothless fly away at record breaking speeds. Stormfly seemed to sense her unease, looking back at her. Astrid gave her a nod, trying to act like everything was all good.

"Hey Astrid, you okay?" Elliot asked. Astrid gave him a distracted nod, staring at the setting sun.

"Are you sure? Because you seem upset. What's wrong?"

"I'm just worried about Hiccup. He seems very stressed about Vigo," Astrid lied. Well she wasn't lying about being concerned for Hiccup. SHe was lying that it was about Vigo. She shook herself, focusing on her flight.

They flew for the next half hour, before Astrid just wanted to be alone. She told Elliot, and he flew back to the edge. She continued flying, her thoughts and emotions torturing her. Thoughts of Hiccup and Elliot intermingled in her mind. She knew she had feelings for Hiccup. Yet at the same time, Elliot was so much like her. Being with Elliot was comfortable. It wasn't the fiery passion that she'd heard about, but it was nice. Elliot had mentioned furthering their relationship, and Astrid had just stayed silent. She didn't want to sacrifice her relationship with Hiccup to pursue one with Elliot. She wanted to vent her frustrations, to let out the pent op emotions inside her. A strong wind blew over her, jerking her back to the present. She guided Stormfly down to the forest, feeling refreshed by the smell of pine. She jumped off, feeling the pine needles under her boots. A soft wind sighed through the trees, rippling the lake, and sending gentle waves lapping on the shore. The moonlight reflected off the lake, the silver glow bathing the forest. Astrid took a moment just to take in the beauty. Stormfly came up next to her, nudging her and pointing to her right. Astrid looked over, seeing the hunched over figure of a person sitting on a large boulder. He was throwing rocks into the water, obviously stressed. Hiccup began muttering to himself, hopping of the rock. He ran his hands through his hair, pulling at it as well. Toothless came up behind him, nudging him comfortingly.

"Am I a fool bud?" he asked. Astrid crept closer, staying hidden among the trees. Toothless looked at Hiccup, worry in his eyes.

"I don't know. I just… I just thought maybe…" Hiccup trailed off, tears pricking at his eyes. "I just thought that maybe she might have felt the same." He turned around abruptly, and punched the boulder with all his might. Astrid flinched, watching as a large gash opened up on his hand. Hiccup barely noticed. The skin was torn, and blood was dripping from his hand to the dirt.

"I just wish I'd never woken up," Hiccup muttered. Astrid couldn't hold back her gasp of horror and pain. "I have no chance with her. She wants Elliot. She's over me." He reached into Toothless' saddlebag, pulling out a long white cloth. Astrid felt her tears, wet on her cheek. Hiccup was in love with her. She had suspected he felt as she did earlier, but this was the first time he'd confirmed it. It was what she'd been waiting to hear for ages. Hiccup was gently wrapping his hand, while Toothless nudged him in comfort. Astrid looked at Hiccup, knowing she wanted to go out there and talk to him. She began walking out of the treeline when she smelled something sickly sweet as a rag was placed over her mouth. She managed to shout "Hiccup" before falling unconscious. Hiccup glanced up at Astrid's yell, watching in horror as she fell limp and was dragged away.

 **Hey guys. Please tell me, would you rather see more Hiccstrid or more dragin training. I've been trying to give you a taste of both. Now please tell me which you would rather have.**


	6. We were so close

We were so close

Hiccup couldn't even move for a second. His mind was screaming at him to do something, but his body stood rooted to the ground. Toothless fired an accurate shot, easily killing one of Astrid's kidnappers. The blast seemed to wake Hiccup from his trance. He drew his crossbow from his shield, firing at the rapidly disappearing group. He heard a sharp yell of pain, coupled with a thump. Hiccup ran over, Toothless by his side, crashing into the injured man before he could draw a weapon. He and the kidnapper slid along the ground for several feet before crashing into a large root. Hiccup gasped as the root dug into his stomach, but he managed to jump up and plant his foot firmly on the man's chest.

"You're not going anywhere," Hiccup snarled, his heartbeat racing.

"You won't get anything from me," the other man snapped back. At this point, Hiccup was so worried and mad, he wasn't above torture. He slowly slid his foot down to where the arrow wound was. The man had been hit in his side, although the arrow had gone through. Hiccup stopped centimeters away from the open wound.

"Tell me where they're taking her or I move my foot further down," he threatened. The man had begun sweating in nervous anxiety as Hiccup moved further down towards the wound. He stayed silent, seriously considering his options. Hiccup lifted his foot, placing it on the arrow wound. The man's scream of pain jerked him back to his senses. Horror overtook him. He was torturing another person. He would be no better than Vigo. Hiccup picked up his foot, hauling the man to his feet.

"Just tell me where they've taken Astrid and I'll let you go," Hiccup tried to reason. The hunter simply spat at him. Toothless came to Hiccup, holding a quiver in his teeth. Hiccup pulled out one of the arrows, recognizing the green head.

"Vigo," he confirmed. He glanced at the hunter, disgust in his eyes. The hunter glared back, although fear had entered his eyes.

"So, if you won't torture me, and you won't get information by asking, what are you going to do to me?" Hiccup looked at the hunter, wondering what to do. He decided that one of the other riders would take the hunter back to Berk for a formal trial.

"You're coming with me. And don't even think about trying to escape. Because if you make even one suspicious move, I'll pitch you into the ocean." The hunter gave him a scared nod, reluctantly holding his hands out for Hiccup to rope them. Hiccup grabbed some rope from the saddlebag, turning back to face the hunter. Immediately he felt a stinging blow on his cheek. Instinctively he reached for his own saxe knife, driving it deep into the chest of the other man. He pulled back in horror, pulling the knife out, and watching the limp body hit the ground. He gulped deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Toothless forced him away from the horrid sight, motioning for Hiccup to mount him. Hiccup did so blindly, the shock overwhelming him. Of course, he would do it for Astrid, but his thoughts kep flying back to the feeling of shoving the knife into the hunter. The blood that soaked his hand. He tried desperately to shut out the images, thinking mainly of Astrid.

"I will find you Astrid. And I will look forever until I do."

Astrid felt the gentle pitching of a boat as she woke. Her memories were still foggy, and her head swam dizzily.

"Ah you're awake. I was afraid we'd given you too much sleeping tonic." Astrid sat bolt upright at that voice. She knew it instantly. Somehow, she was with Vigo. Then, everything hit her. Hiccup… his love… the attack. Her mind flew back to his declaration of love for her. Tears were now threatening to flow if she didn't come back to reality.

"What do you want?" she demanded. She realized she was on a hunter ship, sitting on the deck. Vigo smiled at her.

"Oh Astrid. I have what I want. You." Astrid couldn't help but be creeped out by his words. "You see, I'm going to make a deal with Hiccup. When he gave me the changewing eggs just like that, I knew you were his weakness. He really seems to care for you." Astrid narrowed her eyes, feeling her blood begin to boil with anger. She tried moving her hands, but found they were bound in chains. She pulled once, uselessly.

"Don't worry about the chains. They're made to be comfortable. And besides you'll only be in them a couple of days. One of my men will give you food and water. Meanwhile, make yourself comfortable." He walked away, laughing. Astrid desperately wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. _Calm down_ , she ordered herself. She had to be logical if she was going to escape. Stormfly would have gone with Hiccup back to the edge. Astrid was on her own out here. She glanced around her, trying to figure out any possible escape route. Unfortunately she was in a boat in Thor knows where. Hiccup would be searching for her, and vigo would soon talk with him about the deal. Not that she wanted it to go down. She was sure of what Hiccup would chose, and while it touched her, she never wanted to be the cause of the innocent deaths of dragons. No. She would have to have an escape plan before the deal was enacted. She examined her chains further, seeing the metal was dragon proof. She gave another useless tug, finally relenting and letting her mind wander to where it wanted to be.

Hiccup loved her. He'd rather die than be with her. It still broke her heart that Hiccup was so depressed. She'd known that her feelings were complicated, especially when her feelings for Elliot were rekindled. And she was still confused. She knew that Hiccup provided a fire that Elliot would never have. However Elliot had been her crush and best friend for years. Things were simple with Elliot. There was no crazy drama in their relationship. She knew her parents had wanted her to get together with Elliot. Even with Hiccup's new stature, in the eyes of the village, Elliot was the appropriate match. Yet Hiccup was also her best friend. He was so sweet and kind, traits she admired. She shook herself, knowing she should be thinking of the more dire problem right now. But she knew she would have to make a decision. Hiccup or Elliot.


	7. Vigo's price

Vigo's price

Hiccup wanted to punch himself over and over again. His heart was broken in a whole new way. His worry settled in the pit of his stomach, hurting more than any other wound he'd ever had. And considering he'd had his leg chopped off, this was saying something. Toothless crooned in support, wanting to help his master. Hiccup patted him, reassuring the dragon that his anger was not directed towards him. Right now, it wasn't even directed at the dragon hunters. It was directed at himself. He knew he had to be rational if he ever wanted to see Astrid again. He had to get reinforcements if he wanted to take on Vigo and win. His plan to to try and sneak Astrid out. He would sacrifice his own life to make sure she was safe. They had sped back to the edge, so they soon arrived. The moon still shone brightly ahead, and it would be several more hours before the sun would rise. Hiccup didn't care right now. He had to save Astrid. She was everything to him. If he lost her… He couldn't even begin to think about a life without her by his side. He didn't even care if she wanted to be with Elliot. He would still want her back, even if it broke his heart all over again.

"Dragon riders get out here now," Hiccup yelled at the top of his lungs. Slowly, the tired riders began appearing from their huts. Fishlegs looked like he was sleepwalking, and the twins were crashing into just about everything they could. Snotlout was more awake, but he looked quite annoyed at being woken up.

"What is it Hiccup? It's the middle of the night?" Snotlout demanded.

"Astrid's been taken." That got everyone awake. Elliot's head snapped up, looking at Hiccup in disbelief. Fishlegs looked on the verge of fainting. Even the twins were worried, for once not causing trouble.

"What do you mean taken?" Elliot asked, his face hardening.

"It was Vigo and his men. I was looking the wrong way. Astrid was in the forest, and I saw her being taken."

"And you let it happen?" Elliot asked. It was Hiccup's turn to be in disbelief. Elliot's so harshly placed blame just ripped him up more.

"I didn't let it happen. I tried to stop them. I managed to capture one hunter, but I had to kill him." He still shuddered at the word kill. Elliot's anger was now clear on his face. He launched himself at Hiccup, with a strangled cry. Hiccup was so shocked, he didn't even resist. Elliot's nails tore through his skin, bringing a fiery pain to Hiccup. But it was nothing compared to his heartache.

"This is all your fault. I wish you weren't even here. You never should have woken up. You were too weak to even try to help Astrid!" Elliot yelled. Hiccup tried feebly to defend himself, trying to roll away. "You don't deserve to be chief. You're a coward. I bet even Astrid hates you now," Elliot hissed.

Something inside of Hiccup snapped. He surged upwards, throwing Elliot off him. He flew on top of the other boy, punching him square in the jaw. He was vaguely aware of the dragons trying to break up the fight, pulling at both of them. Hiccup kicked Elliot in the shin before Toothless managed to pull him away. He scrabbled uselessly against his dragon. Elliot was held similarly by Nightwhisper. Hiccup stopped thrashing, glaring at Toothless until he put his owner down. Hiccup dusted off his clothes, gingerly touching the scratches on his arm. Elliot was rubbing his jaw, flexing it gently. Yet his eyes held triumph. He had seen how vulnerable Hiccup was about Astrid.

"You agree with don't you Hiccup. You blame yourself for Astrid's kidnapping. Good. That's not even the beginning of the pain you should feel. Astrid would feel the same way. She appreciates strength. You were the village weakling. Come to think of it, you still are. Astrid could never love such a _coward_." Hiccup felt like a red hot sword was being shoved through his heart. He tried to block out Elliot's words, but they were feeding on his deepest fears. That Astrid would reject him because he was such a disappointment. To his surprise, Snotlout came to his defense.

"If you think that Elliot, you must not know Astrid. She passed me up for Hiccup. And no offense Hiccup, but physically I'm stronger. Astrid doesn't care about that. She cares about character. If you think she'd chose you just because you were strong, you will never deserve her. And from what I saw of that fight, Hiccup was winning." Snotlout stepped back, and the other riders nodded their heads in agreement. Hiccup looked at Snotlout, catching his eye, and expressing his gratitude with a simple nod. Snotlout smiled and nodded back.

"Elliot you can either come with us to rescue Astrid, or you can leave. That's your choice." Elliot glared at Hiccup, before going over to Nightwhisper and hopping on.

"Fine I'll stay. Now let's go while she's still alive." "Guys wait," Fishlegs called. "Look." He pointed to an arrow stuck in the wood of Hiccup's house. Hiccup walked over, grabbing the arrow, and retrieving the rolled up piece of paper wrapped around the shaft. He carefully unfurled it, reading the message inscribed.

 _Dear Hiccup,_

 _It's Vigo. I'm sure you know about the kidnapping by now. So sorry about that. But it's just the business. Don't worry about your girlfriend. She's alive. But she won't be for long unless you do something. I'm going to call a temporary truce for a meeting. If you decide to foolishly attack, Astrid will quickly be disposed of. If you chose not to show, I will torture Astrid until you do. Let me lay out the terms of my proposal. You can have Astrid back if you surrender the lands to me. In return, you can have the edge and the surrounding five miles. I promise there will be no trouble from my men at the edge or at Berk. You can protect you base camp and your village. However, you cannot interfere at all with the dragon trade. If you do, next time I capture a rider, I will quickly kill them. These are my agreements. Take some time to ponder them. Take three days. At noon of the third, meet me at Fireworm Island. Astrid will be comfortable for the wait. Take care._ _Vigo_

Hiccup stared at the paper in shock. He should have known this was coming. Vigo had learned when Hiccup had handed over the changewing eggs for Astrid.

"So what do we do?" Snotlout asked. Hiccup sighed, his thoughts and emotions swirling.

"We give him what he wants."

Astrid had to admit, the living conditions were not bad. Of course there had to be a reason for that. Most likely so they could worsen them if Hiccup didn't cooperate. She sat on her tangle of blankets, her mind once again wondering to Hiccup. This time she tried to remember every detail about him. The small scar on his chin. His soft brown eyes. His thick brown hair. And the fact that he possessed a strength far greater than would be expected. Yes physically, because despite his small stature, Hiccup held surprising strength in his arms and legs. But also the depth of his emotions, of his heart. He was strong internally too. Astrid felt a tear slide down her cheek at the thought of Hiccup. He was so perfect. Strong and smart and cunning yes, but also kind, compassionate and funny. And she might never get to tell him how she felt. Of course, she didn't know herself how she did, but one thing she was more sure of than anything was she didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to lose Elliot either, but in the end, one was going to have to lose. She just hoped in the end, she would make the right decision. "I've got to get out of here." She knew the meeting was going down in three days, which meant they would be sailing for land. During the meeting, there was no chance of escape. She would have to escape when they were close enough to swim to shore. She absently pulled at the boards underneath her, surprised when they gave way and moved under just her push. She dug her nails into the wood, pulling upwards on one of the planks. Her fingers screamed with pain, but nothing happened. She reached for her skirt, pulling at one of the spikes. It took some tugging, but eventually she got one off. Digging it into the plank. She pushed on the spike, feeling the board loosen even more. It wasn't an escape route, but at least it was something. She could escape. She could go back to Hiccup. "I will find you Hiccup. And I will look forever until I do."


	8. The Meeting

The Meeting

Astrid felt sweat pooling off her, as she was baked by the sun. The dragon hunters had retreated below deck, leaving her alone. Not that it did her much good. The meeting wasn't until tomorrow, and the ship was nowhere near shore. Any attempt at an escape would be futile. As of then, she had the beginnings of a plan. Whenever she was alone, she continued chipping away at the wood. Her hope was to eventually make it over to the curved post that held her chains. It was one pole, but bended so it went into the ship in two places. She was close to being able to start working the pole out of the woodwork. It was still mind suckingly boring. She had begun retreating into her head, becoming dull to the physical world. Of course when she was thinking it was usually about Hiccup and Elliot.

Lately, she had been trying to justify her feelings for Hiccup by coming up with Elliot's faults. If she had to be honest, it was pretty easy. Elliot was caring, but he tended to be overprotective and possessive. Hiccup cared about her, but allowed her to fend for herself. Hiccup was viking born. Elliot's backstory was a mystery. That's why he didn't even have a regular viking name. The name Elliot was an anomaly in their village. Totally unheard of until his mother named him Elliot. It was his father's wish, even though it wasn't a proper viking name. His mother died when he was 15, and after that he was on his own. Honestly, she didn't even really know about Elliot's history. Then of course, he said he didn't either. His mother had never wanted to talk about it, like her history was too painful for Elliot. Part of Astrid admired what Elliot had gone through, and part of her pitied him. She knew Elliot's experiences shaped him, just like Hiccup's shaped him. In a way, she felt unfair comparing the two boys. It was like comparing a yak to a sheep. Her thoughts were halted when she felt a change in her scraping. She had finally done. She glanced down, seeing the metal rod in front of her , she began chipping at the wood, trying to go underneath the rod. It was a very slow process, but eventually she began to make some progress. However she was forced to stop because a hunter came to give her lunch.

"Eat up," he said gruffly. Astrid quietly took the bowl of soup, eating it absently. She barely noticed the fact that the hunter waited for her to finish. When she finished, she was surprised to see the hunter was still there. She handed him the bowl, confused as to why he was still with her.

"Vigo wants to see you."

Hiccup paced Dragons Edge for the better part of the morning. He'd run the calculations dozens of times, knowing they had to leave for the meeting at about 10:00. He'd gotten up at 6:30, unable to sleep without worrying about Astrid. He still hadn't told the other dragon riders about his plan. They wouldn't understand why he would do it. They would try and stop him, and Hiccup wasn't about to be halted on is mission. Toothless kept shooting him worried glances, trying to get Hiccup to calm down. He knew Hiccup well enough to know that he wouldn't be the calm focused warrior he usually was if he worried too much. Yet every thought, every emotion that went through Hiccup's head was connected to Astrid. Feelings of love, hatred, guilt, and determination constantly pulsed through him. Having Astrid in danger forced his feelings to come out. They had been unleashed the other day with Elliot. What scared him was the absence of hesitation he had when he'd attacked. He was prepared to do some serious damage before Toothless stopped him. Guilt still weighed on him from the dragon hunter he killed. Yes the man was horrible, but feeling the blood on his skin. Seeing the lifeless gaze of the man as he fell to the forest floor. It was terrifying. Suddenly Hiccup had a vision of the same thing happening to Astrid. It was so real. He saw her lifeless body fall away from him. Felt her life drain from her body.

"Astrid!" he yelled, his voice heavy with grief. His eyes flew open, her limp body on his so real. He was panting now, going into a state of panic. He was shaking involuntarily, and sweat rolled down in beads on his face. Toothless was already nudging him towards the bed, forcing Hiccup to sit. He nudged his master, waiting until the panic attacks ceased. Hiccup gasped, his whole body shuddering with horror. _Think of Astrid. Think of Astrid._ He pictured her kind eyes, always glowing with fire. He pictured her amazing smile, the one that could melt his heart. Her soft golden hair, the beauty of it. The creamy expanse of skin around her chest. He blushed as his thoughts wandered to her chest. The soft curve of her breasts. Her slim figure. He stayed like that for a full 15 minutes, calming himself. By the time he had gained his senses, it was time to go. He pushed his damp hair away from his forehead, mounting Toothless, exiting the house, finding the other riders waiting for him.

"Let's do this," Hiccup said, a renewed purpose filling him.

Hiccup felt the cool breeze of the ocean blow over him as he landed on Fireworm Island. There was no sign of the dragon hunters. The entire island was calm, the fireworms in their nest right now. Judging from the sun's position, it was very close to noon. Vigo should be here already. He glanced down the shore, hoping to spot an incoming ship. He and the other riders went further down the beach, right down to the ocean. The waters were still and calm.

"Hello Hiccup glad to see you could make it." Hiccup whipped around, his anger almost immediately rising.

"Where's Astrid?" he demanded.

"Hmm, so grabby. And right to the point. I like that about you. It's a valuable trading skill. You might be good in the dragon hunter business."

"I would rather die than kill innocent dragons," Hiccup stated fiercely. His anger was beginning to blind him, controlling his actions.

"I don't care about your morals. I just want to officiate our deal. Take her now, and leave the dragons to me." Hiccup faltered, his decision suddenly becoming much harder. He was hit with the full blow of reality of the dragons' futures if Vigo was in charge. Every single one would be slaughtered. Hiccup shifted his weight, his original plan failing.

"I'm going to need a decision soon Hiccup. Otherwise I might have to do some more convincing." Hiccup's eyes darted to Astrid, words failing him at the time. Her eyes held pain and anger, but the message was clear. Save the dragons. Hiccup knew Astrid would never forgive him or herself if the dragons were sacrificed because of her.

"Times us Hiccup. You've forced me to take extreme measures. So either give me the archipelago or I will deflower your girlfriend.

Astrid's eyes widened in horror at Vigo's threat. Her own instincts told her to protect her innocence, especially from a man like Vigo. The leader of the dragon hunters began approaching her, his eyes dark with promise. Astrid shivered in terror. She could see Hiccup was in agony, the conflict clear on his face. Vigo approached her, smiling in triumph. She gasped as he roughly kissed her, slamming his body against hers. It was in no way pleasurable. Not like she'd dreamed of with Hiccup. Vigo's hands tugged at her hair, making her whimper with pain.

"Alright! Stop!" Hiccup yelled, unable to bear it. "Stop. Take me. Not her. Please. Without me, the riders don't have a leader. And without me Berk won't have a future chief. So take me instead." Vigo stopped kissing Astrid, looking at Hiccup instead.

"Okay Hiccup. Here's the deal. Astrid goes free, and in return, you belong to me. You try and run, I kill Astrid next time I see her." Hiccup nodded, stepping forward. Instantly, Vigo's men grabbed him, putting thumb cuffs on his hands. He was roughly shoved below deck, his last look at Astrid. It completely shattered her heart. She hopped on Stormfly, ready to fight.

"Don't Astrid," Elliot warned her. "That's just going to get Hiccup killed. Right now we have a shot at a rescue." Astrid reluctantly too to the sky, her heart tearing in two. She was so distraught, she didn't notice Elliot's smile of triumph.


	9. Miles apart but still one

Miles apart but still one

Astrid felt tears prick her eyes, as she flew back to Berk. Her grief was presenting itself as anger and frustration. She wanted to go back and wipe the smile off Vigo's face. It was one thing to imprison her, it was a completely different matter when it was Hiccup. He was the essence of good. He was a warrior, but always tried to do the right thing. To Astrid, Hiccup was the most noble viking Berk had seen. She sighed, her heart wrenching agony overtaking her again. She brushed her bangs away from her eyes, willing herself not to cry. She couldn't even imagine what Stoick would feel. His only son was gone. In the hands of Berk's worst enemy. And it was Astrid's fault. She wanted to drive her axe into a log. She growled to herself, her feelings on overdrive.

"Hey Astrid you okay?" Elliot asked, sounding concerned for her.

"My best friend was just taken by the worst man alive. And I'm on my way to tell his father who's the chief of Berk. And Hiccup is probably being tortured as we speak. And to top it off, it's my fault," Astrid lashed out. Elliot backed off, looking at her confused.

"Why do blame yourself? It was Hiccup's fault. It was his choice." Astrid looked at Elliot, her disbelief clear in her eyes.

"What in the name of Thor Elliot? It wasn't Hiccup's fault. He was trying to save my it was his choice, but I would have done the same thing in a heartbeat."

"You would have?" Elliot asked, his eyes hardening. It was Astrid's turn to be confused.

"Of course I would. Hiccup's my best friend." She looked at him like he was crazy.

"Just your friend?" Elliot asked, his eyes lighting up with hope.

"I… I," Astrid spluttered. "I don't know. He's important to me, and that's all that matters now." Elliot nodded, although he turned away from her. His eyes were filled with rage. Astrid drew in a shaky breath, preparing to land on Berk. Toothless landed softly, letting Astrid down. Stormfly landed behind him, nudging Astrid comfortingly. Astrid patted her neck, grateful for Stormfly's support.

"Astrid? What are you doing here?" Stoick asked, coming from the dock to greet the riders. Astrid felt as though a rock was lodged in her throat. She swallowed hard, her voice failing for a moment.

"Hiccup… he… he…" Astrid trailed off, too upset to say more. Stoick instantly sensed something was wrong.

"Riders why don't you go and rest. Astrid come with me." Snotlout took the lead, going back into the village. Meanwhile Astrid was desperately trying to control her emotions so she could explain to Stoick the situation.

"What happened to my son Astrid?" Stoick asked in a gentle voice. Astrid took a deep breath, willing her voice not to shake.

"I was kidnapped by Vigo's dragon hunters. Vigo made a deal with Hiccup. Me for the dragons. I thought he was going to accept. But Vigo started assaulting me, and Hiccup couldn't give up the dragons. So he traded himself for me. Vigo owns him now." It took every ounce of strength not to burst into tears right then. Stoick noticed her distress, opening his arms up to her.

"It's all my fault," Astrid choked out, hot tears sliding down her cheeks. Stoick hugged her tighter, trying to comfort her, even though he was in shock. He closed his eyes, a single tear falling from his chin. Astrid took deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

"I'm so sorry Stoick," Astrid said, beginning to calm down. Stoick held her for a few more moments, releasing her when they had both calmed down.

"It's not your fault Astrid," he stated. "Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have stopped Hiccup. He's willing to sacrifice himself for those he loves." Astrid nodded, relieved that Stoick wasn't mad at her.

"But we still need to get Hiccup back. And I think I have a plan."

Hiccup groaned, pulling at his hair. He'd been stuck in the cell for two weeks now, and it was driving him crazy. He was worried about Toothless of course, but his main worry was Astrid. Was she okay? Did she miss him? As much as he wanted her to be worried about him, he wanted her to be happy. He absolutely hated the idea of her with another guy, but maybe she could be happy with Elliot. He closed his eyes, another wave of pain washing over him. Vigo wasn't trying to break him physically. He was destroying him mentally and emotionally. Being away from Astrid was pure torture. And it hurt worse than any wound ever could. He had seen the lack of emotion on Elliot's face when he'd been taken. The other viking had seemed almost happy. Hiccup would be distressed if even Snotlout was taken, even though he was extremely annoying. There was something about Elliot that bothered Hiccup. At first, Hiccup had interpreted his suspicion as masked jealousy. But now, he was sure that something was up. Elliot was just not a dragon rider. He didn't care about the other riders, and Hiccup wasn't even sure he cared about Astrid. When Vigo was hurting her, Hiccup could barely contain his anger. He still struggled to contain it. Elliot didn't look like he cared. Hiccup's fists clenched in anger as he thought of Vigo's moves on Astrid. The way that twisted man handled her made him want to knock him out. He growled to himself, feeling more defensive than ever of Astrid.

"Astrid is the greatest person ever. She doesn't deserve to be treated with such disrespect. Vigo is a filthy _rat_ if he thinks he can touch her. You went too far Vigo. I don't care what you do to me. But molesting Astrid is way out of line. And I will take you down because of it."

 **Sorry about the wait. And sorry about the lateness of the chapter. But I'm really busy right now, and updates might become less frequent. I am in no way giving up, but I would also like to start other stories. If you have a potential other topic that I know of, let me know.**


	10. A suspicious dragon rider

A suspicious dragon rider

Astrid paced around the edge, trying to figure out a plan to rescue Hiccup. She'd been thinking for days about how to rescue him. However, there was something else on her mind as well. It was Elliot. He'd been acting weird ever since they got back to Berk. He'd been disappearing, with no excuse when he came back. Plus, he didn't seem at all worried about Hiccup. Last night, Astrid had called a dragon riders meeting to invent a rescue plan, and Elliot didn't show. When she'd confronted him about, he'd made up some excuse about helping Bucket and Mulch. Neither of them knew anything about Elliot's supposed help.

"Astrid! There you are." Astrid turned around to see Elliot running up her pathway.

"Elliot? What is it?" She asked, confused.

"Look I know you've been worried lately. So I was wondering if I could have you over for dinner at my place tonight. It might help you to forget."

"Forget?" Astrid asked. "Even if I was fighting the entire hunter army I would still be worried to death about Hiccup." Elliot looked flustered, anger entering his eyes. He quickly shook it out.

"No, I didn't mean forget. I just wanted you to stop worrying for a while. I know you care about Hiccup, but you need to take a break. And maybe, you should give this a rest." Astrid sighed, feeling her last spark of hope die. She knew exactly what Elliot was implying. That she shouldn't look for Hiccup any more.

"Astrid? What'd you say?"

"Huh? Oh right. Sure." Astrid looked away, distracted. Elliot smiled, heading back down the path.

"Great! See you at 6." Astrid waved weakly, her brain still processing their conversation. She had always tried to be honest with herself, and not pursue worthless things. And to be honest with herself, all she had with Elliot was a friendship. At first, she had wanted to potentially further their relationship. Now, the choice was clear. And she couldn't believe that she had almost chosen Elliot.

"Things were just so simple with him. I always knew I was in love with Hiccup. But Elliot was just so easy." It was as if a great weight had been lifted off her as she finally realized why she had strayed from Hiccup. She wasn't one to generally be torn between emotions. But this time… with Hiccup and Elliot.

"I guess I just wanted to protect my heart." She smiled, feeling energetic for the first time in days.

"Come on Tempest, blast it!" Astrid waved the shield, throwing it up into the air. Tempest fired a perfect shot, torching the wooden shield.

"Nice job girl," Astrid praised. She knew that part of what Elliot was true. She was running herself into the ground with worry. Dragon training would give her mind the break it needed. She prepared another shield, waiting for Tempest to prepare.

"Spikes this time." Tempest gave the equivalent of a nod, preparing herself. Her tail became spiked, as she waited for Astrid's throw. Astrid threw the shield high, watching it spin in neat circles before beginning it's descent. Tempest aimed, and shot, 2 out of her 3 spikes driving deep into the wood. The last one flew across the academy, striking the stone wall.

"Well, that was better than last time." She pulled the spikes out of the shield, leaving deep gashes in her wake. Tempest studied the shield, seeing the deep gouges. She then looked up at the setting sun, nudging Astrid towards the academy entrance.

"Oh right," Astrid exclaimed, remembering Elliot's invitation. She knew they had now future, but they could still be friends right? She sprinted out of the academy to meet him.

Hiccup paced around his cell, going out of his mind again. Well, he couldn't really call it pacing. He was chained to the right side of the cell, and the chain only extended 10 feet. Hiccup was lucky. Most prisoner got 1 foot, if they got any at all. Just within the 2 and ½ weeks he'd been here, he'd already seen three executions. They were ordinary people. From different lands who had stumbled upon the dragon hunters. Vigo eliminated anyone who was a threat to him. Unfortunately, on that rather long list, Hiccup was smack dab number 1. And yet, he wasn't dead. It was like Vigo was playing with him. Hiccup was smart enough to be a challenging adversary, yet he was young, and still learning. _That's all I am. A toy that's new and interesting._ The very thought made him sick. He stiffened, when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. It was Riker, Vigo's second in command.

"Come with me oh great and mighty dragon rider." He smiled at Hiccup mockingly. Hiccup glared at him, knowing he would just have to take his taunts. Riker undid his chains, and Hiccup flexed his sore wrist. He was sorely tempted to attack Riker now. But it was a stupid plan. He needed to be sensible. Riker led him up the stairs, onto the deck of the ship. Vigo was sitting at a large desk. Hiccup cautiously approached, hating being close to Vigo.

"Oh Hiccup. I don't bite. Come closer," Vigo said, motioning to Riker. The large man roughly pushed Hiccup forward.

"What do you want Vigo?" Hiccup spat. "You have me now. You have the dragons. What else you do want?" Vigo began reorganizing some papers, not answering right away. It drove Hiccup crazy.

"A certain client of mine has a rather interesting deal he's proposed. He'll let me use his island for trade, if I do something in return. He's asked for me to kill your dragon riders." Hiccup's eyes widened in horror, shock pulsing through him.

"We had a deal." Vigo shrugged, pretending to look conflicted.

"Oh that's right. Well I guess I should turn down the deal." He laughed, staring at Hiccup straight in the eye.

"Never going to happen son. Perhaps you know him? His name's Daguar the deranged."

Astrid knocked on Elliot's door, wondering how to tell him she just wanted to be friends. She really didn't want to lose him as a friend. But she knew she wanted Hiccup now, and didn't want to lead Elliot on.

"Hey Astrid, come on in." Astrid entered the house, smelling the distinct smell of yak.

"Elliot is that?"

"Yup. I knew that yak steaks were your favorite. Especially the way I make them." Elliot had invented a kind of berry sauce, that made the Berk food not taste quite so bland. It was Astrid's favorite.

"This way milady," Elliot teased, bowing deeply. Astrid laughed, following him to is eating room. She scratched Nightwhisper, and the dragon gave her a friendly lick. The table was nicely set, with two candles in the middle. The entire thing felt comfortable.

"Please sit." Astrid happily took a seat, waiting for Elliot to bring out the main dish. He revealed it with a dramatic flourish, carefully setting it down. Astrid began thinking of casual ways to bring up their relationship. She didn't have to.

"Astrid, thanks for coming over. I really need to talk to you." Astrid looked at Elliot's serious face and turned to face him.

"What's wrong Elliot?" She asked worried. He gestured to everything, sweeping his hand across the room.

"This can all be yours Astrid. If you agree to marry me."

 **I'd like to give credit to CrazyHunter36 for sparking ideas for the fic. Please tell me where you think this should go, and whether you want more adult themes. Also for the core of justice, I hope to get the sotry started this week.**


	11. Betrayal

Betrayal

To be honest, Astrid wasn't surprised at Elliot's request. Of course a small part of her was shocked, but mostly, she was dreading having to answer. Elliot had been so kind in the past. Saying "no" would ruin their friendship. _Just use the old honey and_ _the hatchet,_ she told herself. She looked at Elliot, who was looking back at her with a burning hunger in his eyes. The look made her nervous.

"So, what do you say?"Elliot looked at her, waiting.

"Look Elliot, I really like you as a friend. But that's all. I'm sorry if I led to to believe we have a future together. I don't care that Hiccup is gone right now. My heart will always be with him." Astrid looked at Elliot, waiting for his response.

"Huh," he said, his eyes darkening. He clencedh his fists, and his pupils dilated in anger. "So I'm guessing there's nothing I can say that will change your mind." Astrid shook her head, feeling sorry for him.

"I'm sorry Elliot. But I'm in love with Hiccup. We'll never be more than friends." Elliot shook his head, blinking several times. Then he exploded.

"What in the name of Thor Astrid?! You and I were friends for years, then that talking fishbone appears and suddenly all we have is gone? Hiccup is weak. He allowed himself to be captured. No decent viking would do that." Astrid felt her own anger rising, her defensive nature making her protective of Hiccups' reputation.

"Hiccup sacrificed himself for _me_. He gave himself up to protect me. And you dare call him cowardly and unhonorable. Hiccup made peace between the vikings and the dragons! He created peace on Berk. And yes he was an outcast, but that's what it took. Someone different to realize we could work with the dragons." Astrid stopped, her blood boiling. Elliot glared back at her, with just as much fury.

"You said it yourself. Hiccup is an outcast. He's not like you and me,"

"And that's why I love him," Astrid interrupted. "Because he pushes the stereotypes. He isn't an outcast. He's a leader. If you can't accept that, then we don't even have a shot at being friends." She glared at him, breathing heavily. Elliot's jaw muscles tightened, swallowing hard.

"Really Astrid? Within viking society, we're a perfect match. And you're going to give it all up for someone who's currently in the hands of the enemy?" Astrid was absolutely sure of her next words.

"I will always choose Hiccup. For better or worse, I'll stick by his side." She stood tall, not at all ashamed of her decision. Elliot began to move closer, approaching her with a predatory walk. She backed up, preparing to fight. Elliot continued his slow approach, a wild look entering his eyes. Astrid braced herself, clenching her fists. Elliot suddenly backed off, stepping away. He snapped his fingers, and the room exploded into action. At least 10 burly men ran through the door, grabbing at Astrid. She quickly reached for her trusty axe, swinging with perfectly timed strokes. She took down the first two with identical sweeps of the blade. Spinning around, she performed another backhand stroke, knocking a third in the head. She tried to keep swinging, but the men kept coming. She swung wildly, trying to make them back off. They grabbed her arm, almost wrenching it out of the socket. She couldn't help but bry out in pain. Elliot immediately intervened.

"Hey, be gentle. That's my future wife." Astrid forgot the pain, as shock pulled through her.

"What?" She was so shocked, she completely stopped struggling. Elliot looked at her, smiling.

"Why do you look so surprised? Because you declared your undying love for Hiccup? Oh Astrid, I don't care about Hiccup. He's dead in Vigo's hands. You know what that man's doing to your boyfriend? Probably torturing him." He leaned forward, his breath hot on Astrid's face. "Maybe killing him." Astrid almost crumpled hearing those words. Sure, the thought had crossed her mind before that Hiccup could be killed, but hearing someone else say it… Her legs buckled underneath her, only the vikings' rough grip holding her up. Elliot instantly saw her falter.

"What, don't tell me you didn't think about Hiccup's future. Oh Astrid. I can see the pain in your eyes. And, I'm truly not trying to be cruel right now. But to be honest, Hiccup is most likely dead." Astrid shook her head, trying to block out the sound of his voice. Hiccup wasn't dead. She said that to herself over and over. A small part of her was logical. A small part of her agreed with Elliot. But she blocked that part out, refusing to listen to reason. Because if Hiccup was dead… In a way, she belonged to him. She depended on him in a unique way, and he really did hold her heart.

"You're wrong Elliot. You don't know Vigo." Astrid glared at him, not even caring about the fact that she was caught in a death grip, squashed between two smelly vikings. "Vigo won't just kill Hiccup. Hiccup's too important. And if there's even a chance that Hiccup's alive, I'll find him."

"Astrid, I know more than you think. I may not have been a dragon rider for long-"

"You are _not_ a dragon rider," Astrid practically snarled. Elliot pretended to back away scared.

"Oh so fierce Astrid. I'm glad. I look for that in girls." Astrid almost threw up. "But you are right about me not being a dragon rider. You see, I'm a dragon hunter."

 **Hi again guys. I've read the comments, and see you don't like Elliot. That's okay. So I will be writing him out of the story soon. Just hang tight.**


	12. Better together

Better together

Hiccup walked around his cell, Vigo's information still shocking him. Daguar had saved his life. Hiccup really thought he was trying to redeem himself. He'd cured Toothless and saved Hiccup from the dragon hunters. And yet here he was, wanting to kill the riders. Something didn't make sense. Hiccup ran a hand through his now greasy and dirty hair. His clothes were dirt smudged, and there was a tear in the sleeve. Unfortunately, he didn't get soap from the dragon hunters. Hiccup marked another day on his wall, counting the total to be 23 days. He heard a commotion outside, and the sound of a fight. The deck of the ship muffled the words, but the sounds of struggles were obvious. Hiccup went to the front of the cell, trying to figure out what was going on. Light suddenly poured into the cell, and Hiccup screwed up his eyes, used to being in darkness. Just as he predicted, Riker grabbed him from his cell, dragging him on deck. He squinted, allowing his eyes to adjust to the sunlight.

"Hiccup!" The voice that had haunted, comforted, and agonized him for the past 23 days rang sweetly in his ears. He turned to see Astrid squashed between two guards, Elliot by her side. At first, Hiccup thought they had both been captured. His gaze riveted to the guards, ready to fight them. Then he noticed the absolute hate in Astrid's gaze, and it wasn't directed at the guards. No, she didn't seem to care about them. Instead, she was glaring at Elliot, looking like she wanted to drive an axe through his chest. A second glance at Elliot made Hiccup see the triumph in his eyes. _What in the name of Thor happened?_ Hiccup asked himself. His question was soon answered.

"There Astrid, you saw him. I promised Hiccup would be kept alive, and he is. Now you can keep your promise to me. Hiccup instantly became suspicious. Astrid was glaring at Elliot with all the hate in the world. Hiccup was sorely grateful not to be under her scorching glare.

"What's going on Astrid? Why are you here?" Hiccup asked, confused. Astrid looked pained, not meeting his gaze for a second.

"I made a deal with Elliot. The protection of all the dragon riders, including you for my hand in marriage." Hiccup really did choke. He coughed, and spluttered for air.

"You what?" he asked in disbelief. Astrid fell silent, her eyes dark with agony. Hiccup's first instincts to protect her were on full drive.

"I don't understand. I made the deal for your freedom in return for mine. And now you're reversing it?" Astrid didn't say anything, choosing to stare at the ground.

"Alright you two. For now, you're going to the cells. We'll make landfall at Berk, where Hiccup will be dropped off. Then Astrid comes with us. But if you try and escape, we'll kill you both," Riker explained. Elliot signaled the two guards, and they stepped away, shoving her and Hiccup down below deck.

"Enjoy the time you have together. You guys can be in the same cell," Vigo said. Both Hiccup and Astrid were pushed into the cell furthest from the door. The guard chained them to opposite sides of the cell, but they could still sit together. The the door shut, and the cells were plunged back into darkness.

"Hiccup, where's everybody else?" Astrid asked, looking at the other empty cells.

"Executed," Hiccup said grimly. Astrid shivered in fear, and cold.

"It's freezing down here." She was only wearing a skirt, and a short sleeve t-shirt. Hiccup had his riding outfit on, designed to trap in heat.

"Come here," he said, opening his arms. Astrid gratefully came into his embrace, already feeling her body warm up. They sat like that for several minutes, reveling in each other's comfort. Finally, Hiccup asked "What happened?" Astrid sighed, not knowing where to begin.

"After you were taken, I was overworking myself trying to find you. Elliot told me to give up. At first I thought it was because he was worried about my well-being, but it was because he didn't want me to find you. He started trying to make me forget about you. And he started destroying your reputation. I had to put him in his place." Hiccup laughed, imagining Elliot shrinking under Astrid's glare.

"So what happened that made you accept his proposal?"

"Elliot invited me over to his house, to try and make up for what he said about you. At least that's what I though. He ambushed me. He told me he was a dragon hunter, and would kill you if I didn't agree to marriage." Hiccup felt anger beginning to boil in him. Elliot had blackmailed Astrid into marrying him. A part of Hiccup was largely relieved that Astrid didn't have feelings for him, but mostly he was furious at Elliot.

"That piece of dragon dung," Hiccup spat. Astrid rubbed his arm comfortingly, trying to calm him down. "I'm sorry, I'm just so frustrated with the dragon hunters-"

"No I completely understand. I feel the same way, trust me," Astrid put in. Hiccup gave her a grateful smile, hugging her close. It didn't feel uncomfortable at all. Their embrace just felt right. Astrid leaned her head against his shoulder, happy he didn't pull away. Hiccup surprised her with his next question.

"You heard me talking with Toothless didn't you? Right before you were kidnapped." Astrid glanced up, meeting his eyes.

"Yes I did. And… it broke my heart. Hiccup I'm so sorry about Elliot. I was being so stupid. I killed me to see you so miserable," she said. Hiccup looked down at her, with only love in his eyes.

"I know Astrid. It's true Elliot made me extremely jealous, I guess because I thought he was a better match for you." Astrid started to interrupt, but Hiccup put up a hand to stop her. "I know that was stupid. But I just knew that you and Elliot were childhood friends, while I was the village outcast. And I was worried about ruining what we already have."

"And what exactly do we have Hiccup?" Astrid asked. Hiccup wasn't surprised by the question, but he still stumbled on the answer.

"Well… a friendship. A strong friendship." Astrid narrowed her eyes at him.

"Oh please Hiccup, what you have with Fishlegs is a friendship. We have been more than friends for quite some time. And I want to maybe go even further." Hiccup was shocked and delighted at her boldness.

"I do too," he said. "But there's still Elliot, and the dragon hunters." To his surprise, Astrid didn't look worried.

"Not for long Hiccup." Hiccup looked at her in confusion.

"But…"

"Shh. Let's just say the dragon hunters are going to have a nasty surprise back on Berk." Hiccup stared at her, hope rising and filling his heart. Astrid took this time to snuggle against him, her head on his chest.

"Just wait Hiccup. I have a plan."

 **Hi guys. I've started a new story called "Portal of the dragons" It was a story request. However, I still hope to post on this story at least once every 3 days.**


	13. Dagur

Dagur

Hiccup woke up, to find he was half trapped on the thin mattress. Astrid was draped over his chest, with her arm slung casually over his shoulder. He remained motionless for a couple minutes, just watching Astrid's sleeping form. She looked peaceful in her sleep. The weight of the world wasn't on her shoulders. In her sleep. Astrid had the innocence that she refused to show when she was , the position became quite uncomfortable, so Hiccup gently shook her awake.

"Hmm? Hiccup?" Astrid said sleepily. Hiccup smiled gently at her, holding her for a few more moments. He reveled in her warmth, feeling her lilthe body against his. Suddenly, Astrid's eyes snapped open, as she realized their situation. For just a moment, she let her guard down, panic seizing her. Hiccup was quick to reassure her, as she got her bearings. She nodded her thanks, before climbing out of his arms. Hiccup sighed as he felt cool air replace her warmth. Astrid began pacing their cellar, occasionally stumbling as the waves became rougher.

"We must be close to Berk," Hiccup commented, when the waves got even rougher. Astrid nodded her agreement, looking upwards at the ceiling.

"Where's Elliot?" Astrid asked, wondering why he hadn't come to get her yet. Hiccup felt his muscles tense, and a wave of protectiveness washed over him.

"I don't care," he said. "Just as long as he doesn't come anywhere near you."

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock lll, I think I can protect myself," Astrid teased. Hiccup found that even in their impossible situation, Astrid still made him happy.

"Why Astrid Hofferson, I thought you wanted a gallant viking to protect you," Hiccup said, pretending to be hurt.

"Oh please, if I wanted that, I would've chosen Snotlout," Astrid said, laughing. Hiccup laughed with her, loving the sound of her laugh.

"Are you saying I'm not a valiant warrior? I am the greatest viking in the land!" Astrid smiled at her, and Hiccup felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest. Astrid was worth every bit of hurt he'd faced because of her. He would walk through fire for her.

"So what do we do after we get to Berk?" Hiccup asked, thinking of her plan she'd mentioned. Astrid became serious as well, thinking heavily.

"The other riders are at Berk right now. I'm guessing that will be when Vigo will try and take them out." Hiccup looked at her in shock.

"How do you know about that?" he asked, thinking back to Daguar.

"Trader Johann," Astrid explained. "He overheard Dagur talking about it." Hiccup felt disappointment course through him. He'd really hoped Dagur would change.

"I guess he'll always be the same," said Hiccup dejectedly.

"What?" Astrid asked, confused. "Hiccup, Dagur's going to help us."

This time, shock coursed through Hiccup.

"But you said-"

"I said Johann overheard Dagur talking about it. As it turns out, Dagur only did that to get Johann's attention. He told Johann his whole plan. Dagur's planning to get both of us free. He and Vigo are going to meet just offshore of Berk. There, Dagur's going to pay Vigo to kill the dragon riders. But what Vigo won't know is that all of Berk as well as the Berserkers will be there waiting." Hiccup slowly began putting the pieces together.

"So, I'll go free and join the riders. Then Vigo will take you to the meeting place?" Astrid nodded in confirmation.

"Vigo thinks he's going to kill you guys once Dagur has paid him. What he doesn't know, is that he'll be walking right into an ambush."

Astrid saw Hiccup's face change from dumbfounded, to surprised, to understanding. It really was adorable.

"I'd really hoped that Dagur would turn out to be good. I guess we just have to wait and see if it works." they fell into a silence, both of them thinking deeply. Finally, Hiccup had to make a confession.

"Astrid, you know when you asked me to sharpen your axe?" Astrid thought about it for a moment, before nodding yes.

"Well," Hiccup began sheepishly. "I sort of broke the blade off. I put a new one on, and lied to you. I just wanted your approval." Astrid frowned, remembering how her axe had felt different. Hiccup had claimed he's just done some work on it. It had been her mother's axe, and Astrid's initial reaction was anger. But she quickly saw it wasn't the right emotion.

"Hiccup," she began slowly. "I would have appreciated if you had told me then." He tried to intervene, but she cut him off. "But I completely understand. I didn't respect you back then, and for that, I'm really sorry. I didn't know how amazing you really were. But that axe was just a thing. Sure it was important, but it was just a symbol. I think that people mean much more. Sometimes, we get so caught up in our stuff and what we don't have, that we forget what we do." He was looking at her with a dreamy look in his eyes.

"I agree Astrid. When I got the dragon doll from my mother, I thought it represented her. But I came to realize the toy was just a way I could access her. It provided a catalyst of sorts. That toy reminded me of her. And since I never got to know her, it helped me to imagine what she might be like." Hiccup was getting choked up, as he felt the rush of memories flood him.

"It's like with Elliot," Astrid said, wondering if Hiccup would be mad at her for bringing him up. But he nodded for her to go ahead. "Things with Elliot just felt so easy. For you and I, there have always been things separating us. Whether it's our own minds, or whether it was things out of our reach. Being with Elliot was what I was supposed to do. But since when have I been good at following rules." Hiccup laughed at that.

"Anyways, I was scared to try and pursue something with you. My heart told me to go for it, but my logical side told me it wasn't worth it. Now I realize how stupid that was. It's the things that are hardest to achieve that are the most worth it. We will fight back against Vigo. And we will win."

 **Hey guys. Sorry about the lateness of the chapter again. I'm really trying to post as often as I can**


	14. Preparation for the storm

Preparation for the storm

Hiccup stayed in the cell with Astrid for the next two days. They had docked about 3 days ago, and now were just waiting for the tradeoff. Hiccup really hoped it would happen soon. He was growing increasingly worried about the rescue plan. Of course he trusted Astrid, she was the best viking he knew, but still… the truth was, Vigo had outsmarted them all. He had proven himself to be very much capable of outsmarting the team, and coaxing them into traps. Hiccup glanced upwards, and saw Astrid storming down the steps. A guard followed her, unlocking the cell, and waiting for Astrid to walk in. She did so, looking as though she wanted to murder somebody. Honestly, Hiccup was afraid of being alone with her right then. Luckily, she seemed to cool off once she was back in the cell. Hiccup edged towards her, trying to not get her mad at him.

"So what happened?" he asked tentatively. Unfortunately, that was all it took. The wild look of rage appeared in Astrid's eyes, and she practically exploded.

"It's bad enough Elliot requires that I'm with him at dinner. But now he's begun acting like I want this. He keeps prattling on and on about our wedding, and about how happy we're going to be! He claims I'll learn to love him. Oh Astrid, you'll care about me in the future." Astrid began pacing the cell, and Hiccup made sure not to be in her way.

"He doesn't care about you Astrid," Hiccup tried to soothe her. "You don't have to care about him."

"But I did," Astrid yelled. "He can't get it through his thick skull that I really did care about him at one point. When we were younger, I would've chosen him. He was my best friend. But then this…" Astrid trailed off, her anger giving way to confusion and hurt. "I just don't understand how he could change like this." Hiccup wanted to say he was never good. But he knew that at one point, Elliot and Astrid were good friends.

"People change Astrid. Some for better, others for worse. Elliot was corrupted by the dragon hunters. He became evil. But the important thing is that you didn't. You changed for the better." Hiccup looked at Astrid, who had stopped pacing by then.

"Yeah, I guess so. Elliot chose his path. And I chose mine. But now, are paths are being forced together."

"Not if I can help it," Hiccup instantly responded. Astrid smiled, grateful for his unwavering support. Hiccup would have swam the entire ocean to see a smile on Astrid's face. They shared a look filled with caring and love, both glowing in each other's presence.

"I wonder how Stormfly's doing," Astrid said, thinking of her dragon best friend. Hiccup's thoughts veered towards his dragon Toothless, his other best friend. The night fury couldn't fly without Hiccup, and he'd been incredibly worried about Toothless' safety during his time as Vigo's prisoner. _Not much longer bud_ , he thought, trying to be optimistic. He lost it when Vigo came down into the prison. Hiccup's feelings of absolute hate resurfaced, and he tightened his fists. Vigo easily sensed his hostility.

"Relax Hiccup. I'm not going to hurt you. I've just come to get you prepared. The deal goes down at sunset today, and I want you looking your best. You too Astrid. Ryker has hot water waiting for you on deck.

"There's no way I'm bathing on deck," Astrid shot out. Hiccup wasn't surprised she protested. Elliot was up there.

"Very well Astrid. Have it your way. I will have one of my hunters bring you the water." With that, he strode up the stairs, and plunged the cell into darkness again. For days, the only light source Astrid and Hiccup had was a couple lanterns in the far corner. The cell door opened again, although this time it was Ryker, carrying a large metal tub. He unlocked their cellar, placing the tub near the back. Dragon hunters came in a sort of assembly line, dumping buckets of steaming water into the tub. After about 5 minutes, everything was ready for Hiccup and Astrid to get cleaned up. The only problem was they were in the cell. Together. Astrid and Hiccup stared at each other awkwardly, neither of them comfortable with the situation.

"Ahem, well… why don't you go first," Hiccup suggested weakly. Astrid stared at him, narrowing her eyes.

"Fine. But you have to promise not to look." She glared at him, until he nodded his head. Astrid nodded, stripping off her outer armour. This left her in a simple white tank top, and her skirt. Hiccup quickly turned around, but not before he got a nice glimpse of Astrid's body. She was slim, but well muscled, her legs long and strong. That was an image that would haunt him for months. Hiccup sat down on the floor, waiting for Astrid to finish. If he had to be honest, he desperately wanted to turn around. Call it boy instinct, but he found himself almost turning around, only being able to stop himself because he didn't want to embarrass Astrid, and because it was flat out wrong. He chided himself for having such inappropriate thoughts.

"Hiccup, can you hand me that towel?" Astrid asked. Hiccup nodded, averting his eyes from her body as he retrieved the towel. AS he gave it to her, he was able to see swaths of perfect creamy skin. She was perfect. He went back to his corner, waiting for her to get done. He heard some fumbling, then the Astrid he knew was facing him. She was fully dressed, motioning for him to get in the tub.

"Now you have to promise you won't look." Astrid rolled her eyes, facing the corner.

Truthfully, Astrid didn't want to turn away. She'd seen Hiccup shirtless before, but she wanted to see more. _Stop it_ , she ordered herself. _Technically, you're still engaged to Elliot._ Not that she would be having thoughts of this kind for him. The only emotion she got when thinking about him now was hatred. Well, hatred and embarrassment. She'd been so close to choosing Elliot. She heard a yell, and turned around to see Hiccup fall into the tub. He popped back up, glaring at his clothes on the floor. Astrid gawked at his naked body, blushing a little. He had a nice toned torso, with a six pack clearly evident. He had muscle, but it just wasn't quite as obvious as it was on someone like Snotlout. But it was clearly there now. Astrid realized Hiccup was staring at her, so she quickly turned around, waiting for him to finish. He did, and quickly redressed, his hair still wet from falling in. Honestly, he was adorable. They waited together in silence, for the sun to disappear.

"Ahh, Hiccup, Astrid. You two look so much better," said Vigo, walking down the steps to their cell. He unlocked the door, motioning for both of them to come out. Hiccup stepped out, looking at Astrid in confusion.

"Why is she coming?" Hiccup asked.

"I want to see her face when her fate is sealed. When she realizes she'll never see you again. That look will make everything worth it." Hiccup couldn't hold back anymore. He punched Vigo square in the jaw, shoving him against the wall. Vigo gingerly rubbed his jaw, delight in his eyes.

"You see Hiccup! You and me are not so different after all. Soon. Very soon. You'll realize you are exactly like me."

 **I was wondering, do you guys want me to resolve the Vigo issue? Since his future his currently unknown on race to the edge, should I resolve it my own way, or stay true to the story?**


	15. Hunters vs Riders

Hunters vs. Riders

Astrid could see Vigo's words had the desired effect. Hiccup stumbled backwards, grasping at the cell.

"Hiccup, don't listen to him," Astrid hissed. She turned to glare at Vigo, who was looking like a predator waiting to pounce.

"Hiccup's nothing like you."

"Oh, I think he is. Once you get past all of his heroic play, you'll see Hiccup is just as ruthless as I." Hiccup seemed to have recovered, and now stood next to Astrid.

"You're wrong Vigo. It's not whether you have dark impulses or not. Everybody has dark thoughts. What counts is how you deal with them." Despite his confidence words, Astrid could see Hiccup was faltering. The way his jaw muscles twitched, and his nails dug into his palms.

"I couldn't agree more Hiccup. Right now, your role as hero is steering you away from acting on those dark impulses. But give it time. And when you do chose the darkness… embrace it." Hiccup looked absolutely horrified, and suddenly Astrid got the urge to just hug him, and comfort him. She brushed her hand against his, to reassure him he wasn't alone. Hiccup shot her a grateful glance.

"Enough talking you two," Vigo commanded. "Follow me. And if you try to escape, I will kill you on the spot." Not to her surprise, Vigo's threats just enraged Astrid even more. She willed herself not to speak, and somehow make the situation worse. Hiccup was also angry, she could tell from the way he held himself. He was completely straight, his entire body rigid. She held his hand to try and ease his tenseness. It didn't work very well. Astrid climbed out on deck, getting used to the fresh air. Hiccup scrambled out after her, and released her hand quickly. Astrid glanced to her side, and saw Elliot looking at her. His eyes gleamed with triumph. _If only you knew_ , Astrid thought. Right now, she was staking everything on Daguar. Her future was up in the air right now, and so was their only shot at a rescue. It made Astrid sick just to think about it.

They exited the boat, and stood on the shores of Berk, waiting. Vgo had chosen a completely secluded part of the island, so the exchange would be safe for him. Astrid stood anxiously, waiting for the riders to arrive. They waited for 5 minutes, Astrid's nerves increasing with each minute. She stood close to Hiccup, his touch reassuring. Eventually, Astrid spotted movement within the forest. The riders appeared out of the woods, with no dragons, thanks to Vigo's demand. Astrid was surprised how relieved she was to see all of them. Even the twins. Hope filled her, but she made sure not to let it show in her eyes. A glance at Hiccup confirmed he was doing the same thing. His eyes stayed dark, and there was no hint of excitement in them. When he needed to be, Hiccup was a very convincing actor. Vigo stepped forward, motioning Hiccup forward. Even though they had a plan, Astrid still felt a jolt of pain at being separated from Hiccup. She could tell he felt it too. His reluctance at leaving her was all but obvious.

"As you can see," Vigo began. "I have your dragon rider right here. Now, I promised not to harm him or any of you, as long as you don't try to rescue Astrid." They all looked at Astrid, who gave a little nod, telling them to go through with it.

"Fine Vigo. We won't try to rescue Astrid," Snotlout spat. From his face, the last thing he wanted to do was talk to Vigo. In fact, Snotlout looked murderous right then. But Astrid knew it wasn't because he was romantically interested in her. Despite everything, Snotlout was her friend, and she would react the same way if he was taken. Vigo seemed to be satisfied, walking Hiccup over to the group. Astrid glanced backwards, seeing the dragon hunters poised, and ready to attack. Vigo looked over the dragon riders, snapping his fingers. Instantly, the dragon hunters surrounded the dragon riders. They were too quick for the riders to even respond. Astrid looked over at Hiccup, and saw how scared he looked. Even though she knew he was only acting, a large part of her heart tugged at her to help him.

"What are you doing?" Astrid demanded. Vigo pulled out his own sword, holding it to Hiccup's neck.

"I have another deal on the table," Vigo said, not taking his eyes off his sword. "You see, I have a wealthy and powerful client who has given me significant payment to make some people disappear. Unfortunately, it's the dragon riders of Berk. I'm really sorry." Vigo laughed, staring at them in mock sorrow.

"I've had fun Hiccup. You provided a nice fun challenge, and for that, I thank you. It was a little underwhelming, but maybe I overestimated you." Vigo gave a sad little sigh, which made Astrid want to punch him.

"Oh well, it was still fun. But every game has to come to an end. And for us, this is the end of the board. Farewell." Astrid's eyes locked on with Hiccup's, and they both gave little nods. Astrid jerked backwards, elbowing her guard in the chin. His head snapped back, and he fell to the ground, unmoving. Chaos exploded from there. The dragons of Berk came streaking out of the forest, attacking Vigo's men. More dragon hunters poured out of the boats. Hundreds of them. Astrid grabbed the battle axe from the guard, and swung around to face the incoming tide of hunters. Berk's vikings came out of hiding, running down the beach. The two forces collided, with confusion, chaos, and uncertainty ruling the battlefield. The dragons quickly rescued the riders from their guards, and the riders quickly dispersed to fight. Astrid saw Snotlout's father Spitelout fighting four dragon hunters, and he was losing. Astrid ran down the beach, jumping at the last second, and ramming her axe handle into the head of one. He crumpled down into the sand. Astrid didn't have enough time to feel anything. Spitelout dispatched the other three, and nodded his gratitude. Astrid plunged back into the throngs of vikings, trying to realize who needed help.

"It's over Hiccup." Astrid whipped around, looking for the source of the sound, and saw Elliot pinning Hiccup up against a rock. Toothless was dealing with 10 dragon hunters, and hadn't noticed Hiccup's predicament. It was up to Astrid. She sprinted to the rock, watching in horror as Elliott raised his sword.

"Astrid is mine!"

"Elliot wait!" Astrid yelled. Elliot paused, his sword still poised for a killing stroke.

"Don't talk to me Astrid! I'm doing what needs to be done."

"No you don't have to. Elliot look at yourself! You don't need to be like this. What happened to the Elliot I knew when we were kids?"

"He is dead," Elliot snarled. "That Elliot was weak. He wasn't willing to fight for what he wanted. I _won't_ make that same mistake again." He turned back to his task, preparing for a death stroke. He didn't get the chance. Using his conversation with Astrid to his advantage, Hiccup surged upwards, tackling Elliot. Both boys went down, the sword flying into the sand. Elliot reached for it, but so did Hiccup. Hiccup grasped the sword handle, trying to fend of Elliot. The dragon hunter went for a forward attack, trying to knock hiccup to the ground. Hiccup went on the defensive, swinging the sword to keep Elliot away. Elliot recoiled, then came again, charging at Hiccup. Hiccup immediately did a thrust with the sword, acting on pure instinct. The sword thrust right through Elliot's chest, the silver blade turning red. Hiccup gasped, almost dropping the sword. Elliot sagged forward, blood pooling a his feet. Astrid watched in horror as he fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.


	16. Aftermath

Aftermath

Shock pulsed through Hiccup. He still held the sword, although Elliot's body had slipped off. His hand was covered in blood, warm and sticky on his fingers. Astrid was staring in disbelief at him. Her eyes traveled to his sword, then to Elliot's body.

"Hiccup," she choked out. Hiccup let the sword slip from his fingers, hearing the soft thump as it made contact with the ground. Somewhere across the battlefield, Hiccup heard a strangled cry. To his surprise, it came from Vigo. Everyone turned in unison to look at him and Astrid. Vigo ran over to them, his dragon hunters slowly retreating to their boats. The vikings noticed this, and warily began backing away as well.

"No!" Vigo yelled, running towards Hiccup and Astrid. Hiccup moved backwards, feeling Elliot's blood squish against his shoes. Vigo half slipped on the blood, crouching down to cradle Elliot's head. Hiccup watched, confused as grief clouded Vigo's eyes.

"My son," he choked out. That statement also nearly made Hiccup choke.

"He's your… he's your son?" Hiccup asked, somehow managing to be even more shocked. He glanced over at Astrid, who was looking at Vigo in horror. Vigo looked at them both, hatred in his eyes. Hiccup and Astrid drew closer to each other, and Hiccup could feel Astrid trembling. She was the toughest, strongest, bravest person he knew, but right now, she needed support. A long time ago, Astrid had been quite stubborn, and she hadn't been willing to show her vulnerable side. Now, occasionally, she was willing to let Hiccup in. Hiccup brushed Astrid's arm, glancing downwards towards his sword. Vigo instantly snatched it, throwing it to the side.

"You killed Elliot. You Hiccup. I can't believe you would do that." Hiccup glared at Vigo, remembering his earlier conversation about him going dark.

"I always knew you would give into your dark instincts. But I never thought you would use them to kill my own son." Vigo's words stung, and Hiccup felt his anger rising. It terrified him. The first time he'd killed a hunter, he'd felt remorse, shame, and pure guilt afterwards, Now here he was, feeling anger again, so soon after taking someone's life. He should be feeling remorseful. Yet, Hiccup just couldn't feel it. Even if he reached deep down, he felt blank. It was like he was a rock. There was no emotion towards Elliot anymore. It scared him beyond words. Vigo had been studying him, and saw Hiccup's breakdown. He narrowed his eyes, knowing exactly what was going on inside the young dragon rider's head at this moment.

"I hope you've begun to see I'm right Hiccup. Even if I had to pay with my son's life. It was worth it." _It was what?_ Hiccup asked himself. Had Vigo really just said that he would have given up Elliot's life just to see Hiccup go dark. Vigo completely baffled Hiccup. One moment he was grieving for his son. The next he was plotting to turn Hiccup evil.

"You were willing to sacrifice Elliot just to darken hiccup's heart?" Astrid asked, in disbelief. It wasn't because she particularly sad about Elliot's death, but the way Vigo had taken it had shocked her. She couldn't believe a father could do that. Hiccup knew she was looking at him, waiting for his answer to Vigo's madness.

"You know Vigo, a long time ago, I would have thought you were quite like my father. I always thought he just wanted a son he could show off. But he couldn't really show off a talking fishbone could he? For so long, I carved his approval. Almost as much as I wanted to live. But then I realized he loved me all along. He just needed to learn I wasn't going to be a copy of him." Vigo narrowed his eyes, glaring at Hiccup.

"That's where you're wrong Hiccup. Your father always wanted a real viking. He wanted someone who could be a strong chief. You showed him that you would fight for peace. That's now what true vikings do. Look around and open your eyes Hiccup. There is war everywhere. A chief cannot be prattling on and on about peace. That's how you lose. That's how you become weak."

"It is not," Hiccup spat back. "My father welcomed peace. He loves that our village isn't at war. A chief protects his own. Key word there being protect." He stood tall, knowing he was right. Vigo sighed in frustration.

"Hiccup you're father never wanted peace. He was perfectly happy to fight. To kill. Just like you will be."

"My father was misguided. Just like Elliot was misguided. Elliot let his ambition to please you blind him. Astrid asked me how Elliot could do such things. He was blinded by love Vigo. Believe it or not. I was in his place. But I was strong enough to stand up to my father. Elliot couldn't see past his own hurt at being brushed aside like he was nothing." Hiccup was surprised to see he was defending the person he'd just killed.

"Again, you're wrong Hiccup. The only reason you didn't turn out exactly like Elliot wasn't because you were brave. It was because you wanted to be a hero. Just like you do now. But I am a very good reader of character. And your resolve is crumbling. You've finally realized the right way is never the easy way. Soon enough, you won't be able to tell the two apart. You can contact me when that happens." With that, he spun around, becoming surrounded by his hunters. Hiccup knew it was no use going after him. That would only cause casualties.

"You didn't care about that when you were fighting Elliot," said a little voice. Hiccup shook his head, trying to block it out. He was being mentally tortured. Why? Because Vigo was right. His resolve to be a hero was crumbling. He wanted to take the easy way out. In all honesty, he felt as though he'd done the right thing killing Elliot. Then he looked at Astrid, and guilt washed over him. Not because she was grieving for Elliot. The Elliot she'd known had died a long time ago. No, it was because she had sacrificed so much for him. Now, he was going to pay her back by becoming corrupted. Well, if he was going into the darkness anyway, he was going to take care of Vigo for good.

 **Sorry this took so long. I had a doctor** **appointment, and couldn't write. What you you guys think? Should Hiccup continue to go dark? Or should I redeem him?**


	17. Under siege

**Under** **siege**

Astrid knew something was up with Hiccup. He was acting distant, like he was pulling away. Astrid had expected it at first. She knew Hiccup had been shocked to the core when he'd killed Elliot. He would need time to process it. Astrid had been there when Vigo had predicted Hiccup's future. To Hiccup, killing Elliot was just the start of his ominously dark path. To Astrid, it was self defense. Part of what Vigo said was true. It was Hiccup's heroic instincts that were preventing him from acting on dark impulses. But a lot of his heroic impulses were dependant on the fact that he believed in himself. If Hiccup started to believe he wasn't good, the consequences were unimaginable. His mental standpoint on his heroicness could very well determine whether he stayed good or not.

"Come on Stormfly, we're going to visit Hiccup." For the past two weeks, Hiccup had stayed inside, not talking to anyone. That was about to change. Astrid was going to talk to him, even if she had to kidnap him to do it. She and Stormfly flew to Hiccup's house, knocking on the door. She heard his footsteps, slowly coming down the stairs. Astrid waited impatiently, rubbing her forehead.

Finally, the door creaked open, and Hiccup emerged.

"Hiccup we have to talk," Astrid said, pushing her way into the house. Hiccup tried to shut the door, but he was too late. Astrid shoved past him, entering the main room. The fire was burned out, with just a few glowing coals left.

"Where's your dad?" Astrid asked. Hiccup slowly walked towards the fire, kicking at the floor.

"He's with Thornado, surveying the island. He wants to make sure that Berk is ready for a dragon hunter attack. After all, we won't be here forever."

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk about," Astrid interjected. "Maybe we should go back to the edge. It might be good for you Hiccup." She looked at him, wondering whether he was even listening.

"I don't want to go back. I couldn't stand being there. Not when…" Astrid could hear his voice falter, and see the pain in his eyes. Now, she had to do something. If she didn't, Hiccup just might give into his dark impulses.

"Hiccup, you need to stop blaming yourself for Elliot's death. It will only cause you pain."

"But I killed him," Hiccup snarled. "I stabbed him with a sword. I murdered him. I should have… I should've tried to talk to him. I could have gotten through to him." Astrid sighed, feeling like slapping some sense into him.

"Hiccup look at me," she commanded. Hiccup glanced upwards, barely meeting her eyes.

"I said look at me," she said even louder. Hiccup looked up at her in shock.

"I knew Elliot better than most. I was his best friend. If anyone would hold a grudge against you for killing him it would be me. But I don't. Hiccup, it was an act of self defense."

"It was murder," Hiccup shot back.

"Hiccup will you shut up about murder?" Astrid asked, exasperated. "That's just going to prove that Vigo's right."

"He already is! Vigo was right about everything. I am driven by my good heroic impulses. Now, I don't have them."

"Yes you do," Astrid spat back. "You're just too busy wallowing in your own sorrow to realize you're the same person you always were."

"But what it I'm not?" Hiccup asked, all his previous anger gone. The room suddenly crackled with silent tension. Astrid slowly approached Hiccup, smiling gently at him.

"Hiccup, there's nothing you can do that will change you that drastically. You will always be kind, and sweet. And I will always be by your side. We can survive anything. We'll find our way. Together." Hiccup smiled at her.

"I guess you're right. I know I can do anything. As long as I have you by my side."

"See. That's the guy I fell in love with." Astrid leaned forward, brushing her lips against Hiccups'. He didn't pull away, but deepened the kiss, and wrapped his hands around her back. Astrid felt them both backing up, until she felt her back hit the wall. Hiccup was ravaging her mouth, like a starving man given food. Astrid had kissed both him and Elliot, but it was nothing like this. Her first kisses with Hiccup were short, and sweet. Now, they were fiery and passionate. Astrid was in no hurry to stop, and they both stayed there for at least 3 minutes. Her hands roamed his back, and his slid down to her hip. Astrid was so wrapped up in the kiss, she didn't even notice the door open, and a looming figure approach.

Hiccup gasped as he heard a loud booming voice.

"What is going on in here?" Hiccup instantly stepped away from Astrid, breathing heavily.

"Uhh, dad? What uhh… what are you doing here? I thought you were staying out for the night." Stoick glared at both of them, his eyes flicking from Hiccup to Astrid. Hiccup also looked at Astrid, his face flushing with embarrassment. Astrid looked just as humiliated. Her hair was tangled, and messy, and her shirt was rumpled. Hiccup guessed he looked no better. He stepped even further away from Astrid, running his hand through his hair to try and smooth it out. He brushed brown hair out of his eyes, trying to look in control. Astrid smoothed out her shirt, glancing at Stoick.

"Is there something you need chief?" she asked. Now that she mentioned it, Hiccup realized Stoick had other things on his mind. His father was looking very concerned, and was taking deep nervous breaths. Seeing his father so nervous made Hiccup flat out terrified.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Hiccup asked. Stoick sat down heavily, pulling at his beard.

"Dad, seriously. What's wrong? What's going on?" Stoick stared at the fire, closing his eyes.

"I was out with Thornado. We were surveying the island, and were in a more remote area. That's when I saw them. Dragon hunters. They've surrounded Berk."


	18. Mala

Mala

Hiccup started at his wall, shock pulsing through him.

"Vigo?" he asked, disbelief clearly evident in his voice. Stoick nodded gravely. Hiccup exchanged a glance with Astrid, fear clearly evident in his eyes. They had just escaped from the whole Vigo fiasco, and Hiccup desperately didn't want to go back. One look at Astrid, and he could tell they were perfectly in sync.

"Is there anyway we can fight back?" Astrid questioned. Stoick shook his head.

"Vigo has hundreds of ships. Only Thor knows where he got them all." Hiccup felt despair crush him. He blamed himself for this attack.

"If only I hadn;t killed Elliot," he muttered so quietly, he thought Astrid couldn't hear him. He was dead wrong. Astrid practically exploded.

"Hiccup we've talked about this!" Hiccup sighed, seeing the "hero" speech about to come. He could practically recite now.

"Do you really think Vigo wouldn't be doing this if you hadn't killed Elliot? Because Vigo normally has a very sunny personality now? Not last I checked. He would be doing this anyway. Get that through your head!" Hiccup glanced over at his father, seeing Stoick's surprised face. _Get used to it_ , Hiccup thought.

"I want you two to go to the academy. Prepare the dragons for battle." Stoick, looked at both of them until they nodded, before hurrying out the door.

"Hiccup, let's go," Astrid said, seeing the look in his eyes. Hiccup nodded absently, following Astrid out of the house.

He jumped on Toothless, while Astrid mounted Stormfly, and they both took off for the academy. The ride seemed to take forever, and it had Hiccup nervous the entire time. The sun was just beginning to set, soon plunging the island into darkness. They both landed at the academy, running in. The other dragon riders were already there.

"So, I'm assuming you know what's going on?" Hiccup asked. Everyone nodded, and even Snotlout and the twins were serious for once.

"Hiccup how bad is this?" Fishlegs asked, half hiding behind Meatlug.

"It's bad," Hiccup admitted. "We don't have any escape route, and Vigo has too many men to fight off. We're between a rock and a hard place."

"Wait Hiccup, you're really saying there's no escape?" Ruffnut asked. She actually looked scared.

"I'm saying that for now, we're stuck." The riders instinctively edged closer to their dragons.

"So what do we need to do?" Snotlout asked. "I'm too pretty to die!" Hiccup rolled his eyes, but knew it was just Snotlout's fear talking.

"I'm not entirely sure we can do anything," Hiccup responded. "We should prepare the dragons for battle okay? Release all the dragons." The riders instantly obeyed his command, and pretty soon, the academy was flooding with dragons.

"Hey Slasher, good boy." Hiccup gently coaxed out the triple stryke they'd recovered from Vigo. Hiccup had worked for weeks to develop a bond, and now it would pay off. Astrid was releasing Stokehead, a large red timberjack who had often roamed through Berk's forests. Snotlout had taken Tempest out, and was now trying to avoid her spiked tail.

"Okay gang, we have to round up all the dragons on the island. That's our only shot at taking down Vigo. Maybe even for good."

Everyone else nodded at Hiccup's statement, except for Astrid. She understood the underlying meaning in the words. She'd seen the hatred in Hiccup's eyes when he'd mentioned Vigo. So far, Hiccup had only tried to kill someone once. That someone was Alvin, but luckily, Hiccup came to his senses before he could. This time with Vigo, he might not. The other riders went off to collect dragons, but Astrid pulled Hiccup aside. Before he could even react, she kissed him. It lasted for a while, before she pulled away.

"What was that for?" Hiccup asked, confused.

"Just reminding you what you have to lose if you kill Vigo. I'll stand by your side Hiccup, but I won't let you become like him." She turned around, and hopped on Stormfly, not leaving time for him to respond.

Astrid led Hunterbolt back to the arena, wondering how Snotlout had managed to at least tame the skrill. Unfortunately, on Berk, dragons were lacking. On the edge, they had too many dragons to deal with. Yet, those dragons had proved vital to defending the edge from Vigo's attacks. Here, they were on their own.

"Okay Hiccup. I think we have everyone," Said Astrid, looking at the small army that had gathered at the arena. Dragons of all breeds surrounded the riders, just waiting to defend their home. Hiccup had gathered the last dragon, a blue and yellow monstrous nightmare, and was leading it towards the academy. His face fell, when he saw the pitifully small numbers in his eyes.

"No. These dragons won't have a chance against Vigo's men. There's absolutely no way we can send them into battle. It would be suicide."

"Uhh, isn't that most of our battles?" Tuffnut asked. Hiccup glared at him, but Astrid realized he sort of had a point.

"No wait Hiccup. Tuffnut might actually be right."

"Wait really? I was? I mean, duh, of course I was right. See, you should listen to me more often."

"And he just ruined the moment," said Fishlegs.

"No I'm serious. Hiccup, we've faced impossible odds before. We had almost no chance of escaping when Vigo held us hostage, but somehow we managed. It's because we have faith in each other and in ourselves." Something like hope flickered in Hiccup's eyes.

"The key to our success is teamwork. Remember what I told you? We'll find a way together. That's Vigo's weakness. His selfishness will make him slip up eventually. Meanwhile, let's use our one advantage. Working together." Something flickered in the back of Astrid's mind. Teamwork… working together… allies… Mala! Astrid gasped in excitement.

"What is it?" Hiccup asked, worried.

"Hiccup I have an idea. We're outnumbered right now. But what if we evened the fight?" Hiccup looked at her, half getting what she saying.

"You mean you want to recruit fighters?" Astrid nodded, hope filling her.

"Not just any fighters. You and I are sneaking out of Berk to find Mala and her tribe."

 **So what do you guys think? Should I bring Mala and her tribe into the story?**


	19. Escape

Escape

Hiccup glanced around, seeing if anyone else had heard him. It looked like just Astrid had listened to his plan. And, of course, the warrior in her was already forming an actual plan.

"So, how do you plan on getting to the defenders of the wing?" Hiccup narrowed his eyes, like he always did when he was thinking.

'We need to distract the guards around Berk." Hiccup glanced at Ruffnut and Tuffnut, an idea already forming.

"Twins, you ready to blow some stuff up?" Hiccup knew he didn't even have to ask. Ruffnut and Tuffnut jumped at the opportunity to cause destruction, especially for the dragon hunters.

"Uhh, when are we not ready?" Tuffnut asked. "And he calls himself smart."

"Actually, no I don't call myself that," Hiccup said, recalling a similar statement by Tuffnut, just replacing "smart" with "dragon master."

"Oh, well you should."

"Just go," Hiccup said, exasperated. "Hit the north. Fishlegs go with them. I just need you guys to draw the enemy fire. After Astrid and I are out of there, come straight back here. Do you hear me? Come straight back to the academy." Hiccup glared at the twins, praying they would see the seriousness of the situation.

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Snotlout asked, suspiciously.

"Astrid and I are going to see Mala. Hopefully the defenders of the wing can help us. If not…" Hiccup's voice trailed off, not even wanting to think about what could happen if Mala couldn't help.

"Hiccup." Astrid's voice brought him back to the present.

"Right. Okay, so let's go. Snotlout, you stay here and oversee the "A" team. Right now, you're in charge of the dragons." Hiccup saw Snotlout's face light up with determination. As annoying as Snotlout could be, Hiccup could sympathize. He knew that deep down, Snotlout craved approval. His father Spitelout just cared about how much muscle his son had. He didn't really care about Snotlout's career as a dragon rider. Hiccup also knew that Snotlout wanted his approval. He just had an interesting way of showing it. Unlike Hiccup, who wasn't afraid to express his feelings, Snotlout had grown up being taught feelings were weakness.

"You can count on me Hiccup," Snotlout said, with a steely tone.

"I know I can." Hiccup climbed on Toothless, slipping his peg leg into the stirrup.

"Let's go Toothless." Toothless flapped his strong wings, easily lifting off the ground. Hiccup steadied himself, adjusting Toothless' tail for flight maneuverability.

"Astrid you ready?" he asked. Astrid nodded, her eyes connecting with Hiccup's. He saw fear, love, and pure grit. Hiccup nudged Toothless, setting his sight on the northern part of Berk. The twins and Fishlegs had already left, and would get there just enough earlier to start distracting the guards. Hiccup and Astrid flew quickly to the northern shores, waiting for the chaos to erupt.

"You know, I've always wondered why explosions and destruction seem to follow us like a shadow," Hiccup joked.

"Yeah, I mean it's not like we have giant fire breathing reptiles wherever we go," Astrid said, laughing. Sure enough, just like clockwork, the explosions started. Hiccup heard screams from the dragons hunters as their boats were either sunk or burned. He saw the jet of green gas, followed by a giant line of fire. _Where there's fire, there's the twins,_ Hiccup thought to himself.

"Let's go," he said, shooting directly for the action.

Astrid followed behind Hiccup, as she dove right into the mass of explosions. She gasped as she felt an arrow tear her clothing, almost falling off Stormfly.

"That was too close girl." She gasped as a boulder was lobbed their way, and Stormfly quickly twisted to avoid it. Smoke was filling the air, as Fishlegs and the twins continued to distract the guards. She weaved in between the ships, staying low to the water.

"Dragon riders! Off the starboard!" she heard a hunter yell. Astrid heard the whizzing of arrows as they flew past her. She saw Hiccup and Toothless performing complicated maneuvers to dodge the arrows. Astrid and Stormfly quickly caught up to them, just as another volley of arrows was launched their way.

"Astrid look out!" Astrid gasped as Hiccup pushed her out of the way of a green tipped arrow. She actually heard the arrow tear through Hiccup's pant leg, before falling down into the water.

"Again, that was too close," Astrid called out. Hiccup grinned at her, and shot past the last few hunter boats. The hunters on board were too busy dealing with Ruffnut and Tuffnut well, playing with fire.

Astrid and Hiccup finally cleared the smoke, and were able to plot a course.

"Okay, so Mala's island should be that way," said Hiccup, looking at his master map.

"Okay," said Astrid, trusting him with finding the island. She would be more useful in battle. Hiccup adjusted Toothless' tail again, putting him in a long distance mode. That position of the tail fin allowed Toothless to fly for long periods of time, but also meant he couldn't maneuver and fight nearly as gracefully. Hiccup and Toothless could most definitely go faster , but they stayed with Astrid and Stormfly. Astrid knew Hiccup must be bursting to get to the island. She was too. In fact, it amazed Astrid how calm and reasonable Hiccup could be in dire situations. When she was in danger, Astrid fell back on her viking instincts to pull her through. She planned her battle moves, but otherwise generally flew solo. Hiccup would become decisive, always trying to outsmart his enemy, not overpower them. It was just another thing that made Hiccstrid such a great team. _Oh my gods. Did I seriously just use Hiccstrid?_ A little while ago, Snotlout had dubbed the two of them Hiccstrid much to Astrid's displeasure. Now, it kind of stuck. She was so busy thinking about the two of them, she didn't even notice Hiccup beginning to sag over in his saddle.

"Hiccup are you okay?" she asked, worried. Hiccup shook his head, sitting taller.

"I'm fine. I just feel really sleepy. And my head is all foggy. I can't think." Hiccup put his hand to his head, shaking it slightly.

"I feel so weird. It's like-" he didn't even finish his sentence as he toppled over, and fell out of his saddle.

"Hiccup!" Astrid screamed, watching as he fell towards the water. She ordered Stormfly to dive, and in the end, jumped off, and grabbed Hiccup just as they hit the water.

Astrid gasped as the cold sea water hit her face. The shock of it almost made her forget how to swim. Stormfly quickly came to her rescue, hauling her and Hiccup out of the water. Astrid saw blood streaming off of Hiccup's leg. Her thoughts flew back to when he'd saved her from that arrow. She'd thought he hadn't been hit but maybe...

 **So, I watched the 4th season of Dragons race to the edge. I was wondering, should I base my writing off the plotlines that happened in there? Or should I continue with my own plotline?**


	20. Hiccup's fate

Hiccup's fate

Pure panic coursed through Astrid. Hiccup lay unconscious on her lap, his face paling quickly. Stormfly was flying next to the two of them, keeping guard. Toothless crooned softly, worried about his master.

"He's gonna be fine bud," Astrid said, her voice shaking. The truth was, she didn't believe what she was saying at all. She gently fingered Hiccup's light brown hair, brushing it away from his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Hiccup," Astrid murmured, gently kissing him on the forehead.

"Please hold on. For me." Astrid shifted slightly, so she could provide a more secure position for Hiccup. She cradled his head softly, tears pricking at her eyes.

"Faster bud," she commanded. Toothless flapped his wings even harder, going the fastest he could without endangering Hiccup. Astrid bit her lip so hard she drew blood, her eyes sweeping over the ocean. It would be several minutes before they made it to the island. Astrid wasn't sure if Hiccup would make it. This was a new poison. None of the others had taken effect as quickly, or had affected the person like this. Hiccup looked dead, limp, and pale in her arms. Astrid reached her hand down, and gently applied pressure to the wound. Hiccup stirred slightly, moaning softly. His head rolled a little, before he fell back into unconsciousness. Astrid bit her lip, worry clouding her mind.

Toothless continued to fly towards their destination, while Astrid took care of Hiccup. She poured some water on the wound, and gently cleaned all of the blood off. The wound was unnaturally dark, with a mixture of red and black. His blood was way too dark, seeping out of the wound, and there was black around the edges. It occurred to Astrid that Hiccup really might not survive this. She hadn't really thought about it fully, being too worried about getting Hiccup to safety. Now, the reality of everything set in. Astrid felt as though someone was tearing her heart apart. Tidal waves of emotions washed over her, ranging from guilt to anger. Astrid had always been the type to hold a vendetta, and right then, she was furious with Vigo.

Her fists clenched, and she fought to control her anger. It was no wonder Hiccup was doubting himself. Astrid hated Vigo even without him torturing her like he did with Hiccup. Toothless shook her out of her thoughts, when he softly growled at her. She glanced upwards, and saw an island looming up above her. Astrid looked at the island called Caldera Cay, with relief in her eyes. Hopefully, Mala and her tribe could help. She guided Toothless to the center of the island, right where the village was located. They were quickly spotted by guards, and were greeted once they landed.

"Ah, Astrid. You've returned," Mala greeted, coming up to Toothless. She gave the night fury an affectionate pat, and Toothless nudged her and in greeting.

"Astrid, what's wrong with Hiccup?" Throk asked. Astrid tried to dismount, but found she couldn't. Mala quickly reached out, and took Hiccup's weight while Astrid climbed off Toothless. He and Stormfly both went off to the side, so Astrid could talk.

"It was Vigo," Astrid explained, the words tasting like poison in her mouth.

"He came up with a new type of poison for his arrows." Mala and Throk exchanged worried glances, then looking back to Astrid.

"I'm guessing Hiccup was injured by one of these arrows." Astrid nodded, words tumbling out her mouth.

"Berk was under attack. Hiccup and I escaped, and tried to come to you. But one of the hunters, he shot Hiccup on our way out. I didn't even notice until Hiccup fell out of his saddle. He's been unconscious for the entire ride." Mala listened carefully, worry entering her gaze.

"Hold on," she said. Astrid stopped the fast flow of words, looking at Hiccup who was now being carried by Throk. His head lay limply on Throk's arm, and his body was completely still. Astrid didn't even think she was seeing him breathe.

"Defenders of the wing," Mala called out. "Everyone come here. We have a very serious situation here." Everyone, even the guards came rushing towards Astrid, Throk, Mala, and Hiccup. The tribe gathered around, knowing something dangerous was going on.

"I'm sure you all know the dragon rider Hiccup. He and his friend Astrid have come seeking our help. Their island is under siege." The tribe instantly turned to each other, whispering in hushed tones.

"Mala please. I need to save Hiccup right now," Astrid said.

"I know Astrid." Mala turned back to the crowd waving her hands for silence.

"We must all prepare for battle. Everyone who can will be going. A small party of you will stay here to guard the Eruptodon. The rest will be traveling to Berk." The tribe instantly began dispersing to prepare for a battle. Mala turned to Throk, motioning him and Astrid to come to her hut.

When they arrived, Throk set Hiccup down on the bed, and arranged him so the wound was showing. Astrid flinched as she saw it once again. Mala had grabbed a small canvas bag, and approached the bed.

"I am the healer on this island." Astrid stepped back, allowing Mala to examine Hiccup. Then, with no warning, Mala expertly cut down the material of Hiccup's pant leg. She then removed the clothing, so she could examine the wound more thoroughly. Astrid was shocked at what she saw. Dark vines of black had begun to crawl up Hiccup's thigh, obviously the poison from the arrow. Mala gasped at what she saw, and gently felt around the wound. She sighed, closing her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Astrid demanded. "Do you know what this is?" Mala nodded slowly, fingering the vines of black.

"The infection's spreading. Soon enough, it will reach his heart. If he was hit more directly, he would be dead by now."

"But you can cure it?" Astrid asked. Mala reached into her bag, pulling out some small leaves.

"How long has he been hurt?" she asked.

"Umm, less than 2 hours. I wasn't really paying attention to the time when we came here. Why?" Mala shook her head, exchanging a sad glance with Throk.

"I'm so sorry Astrid. With this kind of poison, there's no cure. Not unless I could treat him within minutes of his injury." Astrid felt as though a sword had been shoved through her chest.

"You can't do anything?" she whispered, feeling like she might collapse.

"No, I'm so sorry. This was a poison secreted from Shellfire. And from what I know, there's only one in the area. Vigo must have figured out a way to collect the poison from it's blasts. Hiccup will only survive another 24 hours." So Hiccup's only cure was in Vigo's hands. Not for long.

"Mala, Throk, I'm going to find Vgo and get us that cure."

 **I was wondering, how long should I continue this story. I can see this situation leading to an ending, but I could also see this story going for a while longer. Should I wrap it up or continue it?**


	21. Story Update

**Hello everyone. This is a story update for Adventures of the Edge. As I posted on the previous chapter, I can see the story wrapping in a little while. I can also see it going on, just focusing on new problems.**

 **I've also read the comments and I know you guys want Hiccstrid to get together. It's coming very soon. Like within the next couple chapters. Don't worry, I have a plan for Hiccup's poisoning. I also have a path of redemption for him. Everything will tie together in the end.**

 **I also want to thank everyone who has read my story. As an aspiring writer, this project was some of my first public work. Now, for the future of the story, and trust me, Hiccstrid will happen no matter what.**

 **Hiccstrid happens, and Hiccup and the riders figure out a way to stop Vigo**

 **Hiccup stays in a coma like state for a while due to the effects of the toxin, while Astrid tries to figure out a long term cure. While doing this, she discovers a way to take Vigo down.**

 **Hiccup embraces the darkness, killing Vigo, and the rest of the story is redeeming Hiccup.**

 **They don't figure out a way to defeat Vigo, and he begins hunting dragons to extinction. It would flash forward a few months to when Hiccup or Astrid develops a plan.**

 **Last one, they defeat Vigo, Hiccup redeems himself, but a new villain arises.**

 **Completely up to you guys. It just depends whether you want the story to go on. Thanks again, NightLightning21**


	22. A plan

A plan

Astrid pushed away her terror, and replaced it with anger.

"I have to find Vigo's shellfire," she said, with a steely determination. "It's Hiccup's only chance."

"Astrid I understand your drive completely. I know I would have done anything to save the eruptodon." Astrid knew there was a "but" coming soon.

"But it's a useless quest. You know Vigo will not give up the shellfire without a fight." Mala looked at her, her dark eyes a mixture of sadness and sympathy. Astrid wanted to lash out at her, but found it impossible. Mala was just being the voice of reason.

"I don't care what I have to do to get Hiccup back. Maybe I can negotiate something with Vigo. I can work out a deal."

"Astrid I truly with it were that easy. But Vigo's smart. The only thing you can offer him is to stop your attacks on his fleets. But we both know you won't do that. And Hiccup would never let you."

"So I'm just supposed to sit here while Vigo is attacking my village, and my boyfriend is dying?" In her anger, Astrid had let that one word slip out of her mouth. Mala raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

"I know you want to attack. But right now that would just be suicide." Astrid opened her mouth to protest, but Mala cut her off.

"We aren't sitting here doing nothing. I promise you that. But we need a plan. First of all, Hiccup stays here." Astrid opened her mouth to protest, then closed it, knowing Mala was right.

"I'm going to rally the tribe. You stay here." Mala brushed some hair off Hiccup's forehead, before heading outside.

"Even when he's not awake, Hiccup needs you Astrid." Mala stepped outside, and for a brief moment, sunshine filled the dark tent. Once the flap closed, they were plunged back into darkness. A few lanterns provided weak light, giving Astrid a way to find Hiccup. She grabbed a small wooden stool, and sat next to him. Seeing him, lying there, so still and so pale broke Astrid. She'd tried to act in control, but inside, she'd been freaking out ever since Hiccup had been shot. Tears filled her blue eyes, and because no one was looking, she let them fall. A few of the drops fell onto Hiccup, sliding down his cheek so it looked like he was crying too.

"I'm so sorry," Astrid murmured. "This is all my fault." She furiously wiped at her eyes, smearing her tears around her face.

"You can't die Hiccup. Not now. We haven't had enough time. I was too stupid to see it before. It's my fault. But please… just hang on." Astrid leaned forward, and gently kissed Hiccup's cheek. His skin felt hot underneath her lips. She give him a quick kiss on the lips, before practically running out of the tent.

People were running around outside, like a colony of ants. Heather picked her way through the crowds, finding her way to Mala and Throk.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Gather your dragons. We leave soon," Mala commanded. Astrid was tempted to ask about the plan, but decided against it. Instead, she ran to the clear spot outside of the village where Stormfly and Toothless were waiting. Both of the dragons instantly went on high alert when they saw Astrid coming. She gave Stormfly a pat, and tightened her saddle for flight. She did the same for Toothless, feeling another pang of grief. Hiccup should have been there, fixing Toothless' saddle. She adjusted the stirrup, realizing she would have to be the one to fly Toothless. No one else knew how to operate the tail system. No one but… Astrid closed her eyes, momentarily distracted. She opened her eyes again, forcing herself to concentrate. She led the two dragons back into the village, where everyone else was waiting.

"So, is anyone going to tell me the plan?" Astrid asked. Mala and Throk glanced at each other.

"Astrid you know a way into the hanger of Berk?" Mala asked. Astrid nodded, thinking of the tunnels underneath the island.

"Good. You and your dragons will be going ahead while the defenders of the wing sail to Berk. We'll get there in about an hour and a half using our newest models for our ships." Astrid nodded, swinging easily into Toothless' saddle.

"So, what do I do when I get there?"

"You need to get the dragon away from Berk. We need them to corner Vigo." Astrid's eyes flicked from Mala to Throk.

"You want me to get all the dragons away from Berk without Vigo seeing me?"

"No. Just a few. Make sure to gather your dragon riders. Then look for us. We have a little surprise for Vigo."

Astrid was already flying before Mala had finished. She had taken off on Toothless, almost breaking the sound barrier. They flew across the water, forcing up spray. Toothless managed to catch a particularly strong current, and they shot through the air. Stormfly was having a hard time keeping up, but she managed. Very soon however, she lagged behind, but motioned for her master to continue without her. Astrid felt gratitude swell within her at her loyal friend. Stormfly was truly an incredible companion. Toothless went faster than Astrid had ever seen him go, his powerful wings beating furiously. Toothless understood what was at stake here too. They made record time, landing on the secret cove. It was only accessible by dragon or the tunnels. Astrid jumped off Toothless, and ran to the secret entrance. It took a dragon blast to access the entrance. Fishlegs had made sure of that. Astrid snuck in, taking the dragons with her. Thanks to the echolocation skills of Toothless, they found their way to the hanger, where the dragons and the dragon riders were currently placed. She hopped on Toothless, and he quickly flew out of the hole. Astrid jumped off, and ran inside the hanger. It was chaos within there. Dragons were flying everywhere, with riders running around them. Astrid hurried over to a very panicked Fishlegs, who was pressed up against the wall next to Meatlug.

"Astrid you're back!" he said, relief obvious in his voice. "Where's Hiccup?"

"He's not here. He was injured," said Astrid bluntly.

"He what?" Astrid didn't have time to explain. She motioned for the other dragon riders to gather around her, yelling to be heard.

"What's going on in here?"

"Vigo began advancing towards Berk. Stoick sent us and the dragons to the hanger. The B team is at the academy." Growls, screeches, and dragon calls were still dominating the conversation, so Astrid pointed to Toothless and said, "You know what to do." Toothless let out a loud roar, firing a plasma blast to the far side of the hanger. All of the dragons ceased their motion, looking at the small black dragon. Toothless screeched again, angling his head towards the riders. The dragons fell silent, and lined up in neat rows. Astrid breathed a sigh of relief.

"This is more like it."

"I would agree Astrid." Astrid whipped around to see Vigo enter the hanger.

"It's been too long. How is Hiccup? I hear he's not well." That was the final straw. Hiccup didn't have to worry about going dark by killing Vigo. Because Astrid was going to do it herself.


	23. Project Shellfire

Project Shellfire

Previously on Adventures of the edge

 _Astrid whipped around to see Vigo enter the hanger._

 _"It's been too long. How is Hiccup? I hear he's not well." That was the final straw. Hiccup didn't have to worry about going dark by killing Vigo. Because Astrid was going to do it herself._

The man that Astrid hated with every inch of her being was walking through the dragon hanger.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked, just shy of spitting venom. Even Vigo looked a bit startled at her anger.

"Gosh Astrid, why are you so angry? Is this about a certain absent dragon rider?"

"AHH!" Astrid leapt down from her ledge, and tackled the dragon hunter. She hit him square in the chest, forcing him to the floor. She could feel him scrambling under her, and quickly leapt upwards, planting a foot on his chest. Her battle axe was to his throat in seconds. Astrid was so tempted to push the blade harder. She pressed it against the white skin, making his veins bulge.

"I could end this right now. Without you, the dragon hunters wouldn't be nearly as formidable. Your entire operation would crumble."

"You flatter me Astrid. I had no idea you thought so highly of me. I'm touched. Truly." Astrid pressed harder, actually drawing blood from a small cut. Vigo flinched, gasping for air.

"Give me one good reason not to kill you."

"Because without me, you'll never get the shellfire. I've hidden it somewhere you'll never think to look." Astrid narrowed her eyes, detesting the fact that even though she had Vigo underneath her, with a blade to his neck, he was in charge. Vigo took one look at her, and knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Sorry Astrid. It's not about who was the weapon. That's just a false sense of being in charge. It's about who has the power. Do you really think that's you? The fate of your boyfriend rests in my hands." Astrid was breathing heavily, adrenaline coursing through her. It took every bit of self control she could conjure to get off him. She hauled him to his feet, her hand gripping his arm in a death grip.

"I'm going to make you a deal," Astrid hissed. "You give me the shellfire, and I give you your life."

"Deal," Vigo immediately said. Astrid was so focused on saving Hiccup, she didn't even catch Vigo's immediate response to be suspicious.

"I'll take you to the shellfire right now if you want." Astrid glanced at the rest of the riders, and they all nodded.

"Fine. But I'll be watching you the entire time. Make one wrong move, and I drop you into the ocean."

"No you won't. But it's okay Astrid. I do not intend to have any foul play in our agreement." Astrid glared at him a moment longer, storming out of the hanger.

"Fishlegs, you stay here and keep things under control. Also, tell Stoick where we went."

"Are you crazy? Stoick will have my head if he realizes I didn't warn him beforehand. I like my head thank you." Astrid rolled her eyes, not even bothering to talk. She sprinted to the waiting dragons, and hopped on Toothless.

Meanwhile, Snotlout had put thumb cuffs on Vigo, and removed his sword.

"Okay Astrid, he'd completely unarmed. Now you just have to worry about him escaping."

"Thank you Snotlout," Astrid said sarcastically. "I feel so much better now." Snotlout shrugged, and jumped on Hookfang. For once, the red and black nightmare didn't flame up on Snotlout. The dragons could sense this was no time to be playful. Toothless was tenses up, and shot into the sky like an arrow when Astrid nudged him. Astrid gasped, still unfamiliar in the night fury saddle. _It should be Hiccup sitting here_ , she thought sadly. Vigo was sitting behind her, chained to the saddle.

"Is this amount of precaution really necessary dear Astrid?" Vigo asked in a silky tone. It made Astrid want to drop him in the water.

"Yes it is," she snapped. "You poisoned Hiccup, you've killed hundreds of dragons, and right now you're attacking my village. Right now, in my book, you're worse than dragon dung."

"How kind of you." Astrid nudged Toothless, and he instantly dove downwards. Vigo let out a gasp, as he was thrown to the side, almost falling off.

"Let me be clear with you Vigo," Astrid said, once they had leveled off. "You do anything suspicious, or you joke about Hiccup anymore and I will seriously hurt you."

"You really care for him." It wasn't a question. It was a simple statement.

"You really think you can talk?" Astrid challenged.

"I know people," Vigo responded. "It's my strength. I can tell the limits of a person, and what they'll do to get what they want." Astrid huffed disdainfully, and ignored him.

They flew for another hour, before they reached a small cove. Astrid and the other riders cautiously landed on the beach, alert for any danger.

"Shellfire is right over there," Vigo said, motioning off the coast.

"Snotlout go check it out. See if he's telling the truth." Snotlout made eye contact, and Astrid saw his determination, and true loyalty shining freely. Most of the time, Snotlout was an annoying pain, but Astrid knew it wasn't because he wanted to be. Similar to her, his family had driven home the need to be the best. He desperately wanted the approval of his father, and often, that blind ambition would just end up hurting everyone.

"Everyone else, watch your backs." they all spread in a circle, on alert for any unnatural movement. Snotlout came back a few minutes later, white faced, and scared out of his mind. Hookfang landed heavily on the island, still flaming up.

"Snotlout what's wrong? What did you see?" Astrid demanded. Snotlout pushed himself off the now regular non flaming Hookfang, and stumbled the next couple of feet.

"We found the shellfire. But we couldn't even get near it. It was way too powerful." Astrid looked out to the sea, knowing that to her right, just a couple miles away was Hiccup's cure.

"We have to get that toxin. It's Hiccup's only chance."

"Yes well good luck getting it. Shellfires have abilities unknown to humans. You don't stand a chance against that dragon."

"I thought I told you to shut up," Astrid spat, turning an icy glare to Vigo.

"Look, I know this won't be easy. But we just need a way to collect it's venom. I think there's traces of it within it's blasts. So we need to get close enough to somehow collect a blast?"

"Uhh, I don't think that will be too hard," Tuffnut remarked.

"What? Tuff, we have to fight the shellfire to get the antidote. That will be hard."

"Astrid… we really won't need to go anywhere," Ruffnut said, panicked. Astrid turned to see what was paralyzing the twins, and very nearly avoided being killed by an electric bast. The shellfire seemed to have found them.

 **Okay, so I'm thinking maybe 3 more chapters. Then maybe a sequel. It depends. Would you guys want a sequel? Would you read it? Or is this story enough?**


	24. Cured

Cured

The island seemed to explode around Astrid. Blue blasts of fire and electricity tore the ground to shreds. A large outcrop of rock was splintered, sending shards of deadly stone hurling towards the riders.

"Everyone get down," Astrid ordered. The riders and Vigo all crouched, half buried in the sand.

"Stormfly!" Astrid called out, looking for the blue and white dragon. Another blue blast was hurtling towards her, and Astrid just barely managed to roll out of the way again.

"We have to get to the air," Astrid called. The riders nodded, and all called for their dragons.

"And me Astrid?" Astrid froze, turning around and glaring at Vigo.

"Let me guess, you think I should save you?" Vigo smiled at her.

"I'll tell you where the dragon eye is. And in return for the location, I go away with you." Astrid didn't have time to argue. Although it went against every logical and rational part of her, she knew she had to. The dragon eye could be so good for the riders.

"Okay riders, get into the sky as quickly as you can." Astrid had to shout to be heard over the continuous blasts. In a short lull, the riders shot upwards, rising several hundred feet into the air. Then, Astrid realized she'd forgotten one thing that could be fatal. Toothless couldn't fly. She looked down, and saw the small black dragon furiously hopping around, trying to dodge the blue blasts.

"Toothless hold on!" Astrid jumped off Stormfly, diving straight for Toothless. The second she jumped, Vigo made his move.

He grabbed a small piece of metal, and put it directly on his chest.

"Oh Astrid. Now, you will take me right into the heart of the defenders of the wing."

Astrid landed heavily in the sand, twisting her ankle in the process. She hardly felt it. She stumbled along, grabbing Toothless' reins, and climbing aboard. They took off, still dodging the blasts. They shot towards Stormfly and Vigo, spinning to dodge the blows.

Astrid and Toothless flew right next to Stormfly, making sure she was okay. From the distance, Astrid caught a flash of blue. Too late, she realized Stormfly was right in the path of another blast. The blue fire seemed to be attached to the nadder, and struck Vigo right in the chest. The impact threw the dragon hunter off, and sent him plummeting towards the sea.

"Oh for Thor's sake," Astrid muttered, diving after him. Toothless caught him just feet above the water, then immediately swooped upwards. He deposited the hunter on Stormfly's back, then flew close so Astrid could check him over. Astrid didn't even bother looking very closely. There was no way a human could survive that blast.

"Carry him Stormfly," Astrid said, knowing there was no way she could just drop him in the ocean. They would bury him after they got the cure.

"Astrid!" Snotlout called out.

"What is it?" Astrid asked.

"I think I may have found the shellfire's weakness." Astrid perked up at that.

"Okay, what is it?"

"Maybe we should get out of here first?" Astrid nodded, and nudged Toothless north. Once the sky had settled, Astrid turned to face Snotlout, with a scary determination in her eyes.

"Okay Snotlout, what's the shellfire's weakness?"

"It seems to be fairly single minded." _Huh?_

"What do you mean?"

"Well, at first, it didn't really care about Hookfang and me. But once Hookfang managed to get a good shot, it wouldn't leave us alone." Astrid narrowed her eyes, determined to solve this tricky weakness. She knew it had to be something. _Come on_ , she ordered herself. _Hiccup's life depends on this._

"Snotlout, was the shellfire solely focused on you?" she asked.

"No. Actually he didn't care about me. He only cared about Hookfang."

 _He holds grudges,_ Astrid thought. It was as though a dam had burst, and theories began forming in Astrid's mind.

"The shellfire is single minded. It will do anything to settle an old score. Which also means it'll be vulnerable when it's blinded by anger." Astrid thought hard, finally giving up and turning to Fishlegs.

"It's a submaripper," he said before she asked. "The submaripper is the sworn enemy of the shellfire."

"Great," Astrid said. "There's a cove just a few miles from here. Isn't that home to a submaripper?" Fishlegs narrowed his eyes, thinking hard, before his eyes lit up.

"Yes. Not just that, with the two dragons so close, they would have recognized each other's presence." Astrid had already shot off before he finished his sentence.

She and Toothless streaked across the sky, reaching the cove within 2 minutes.

"You know what to do Toothless." she called out. Toothless nodded, and opened his mouth, a purple glow already present. He waited for a second, charging his shot, before firing into the water. Almost immediately the submaripper reacted. It shot out of the water, roaring loudly. Toothless was almost swept backwards, but continued firing, slowly driving the dragon from the cove.

It took a good ten minutes to herd the submaripper to the shellfire. However, once they were in close proximity, the two dragons took over. The submaripper shot forward, already beginning it's deadly swirling of water.

"Rider! Go up higher," Astrid yelled, feeling the suction from the whirlpool from her low altitude. The rest of the dragons rose upwards, Vigo still on Stormfly's back. Astrid glanced downwards, seeing the two dragons circling in the water. The shellfire had practically sped from it's attack point to face the submaripper. A blue blast exploded against the submaripper's side, knocking it against a large rock outcrop.

The submaripper retaliated by catching the shellfire in it's whirlpool, and flinging it upwards. A huge splash resulted from the shellfire's landing. Another blue blast exploded against the shore, flinging sand everywhere. The submaripper was caught up in the sandstorm, and was momentarily disabled. The shellfire took this time to aim a short distance dark blue blast. The blow sent the submaripper flipping out into the ocean. The shellfire followed, still intent on revenge. Astrid saw her chance.

"Toothless go," she said. The night fury shot downwards, skimming the water's surface. They dove under, beneath the massive shellfire. Astrid fumbled around to grab a jug from Toothless' saddlebag before they exploded out of the water.

Toothless dove towards the unsuspecting shellfire, firing once at it's mouth. Saliva was flung out of it's mouth, also containing Hiccup's cure. Astrid grabbed some in midair, so it filled about half of the jug. _This is disgusting_ , she thought.

"Toothless, up!" she commanded. He swooped upwards, clearing the field of battle. The submaripper had begun to retreat, heading back towards it's cove. Blood stained the water, and was splashed against the beach. Astrid could see massive gash wounds on the shellfire's sides and the submaripper had one leg dangling uselessly.

"Let's go," Astrid said.

Hiccup could barely breathe. He had no idea why he'd suddenly gained consciousness, and the only reason he could think of was that waking happened right before death. He felt extremely hot, and his entire body was burning up.

"Astrid," he whispered. "I'm so sorry." He began to close his eyes again, and something told him that if he did, he wouldn't be opening them again. _Keep fighting!_ He forced his eyes to stay open, despite the need to close them.

"Hiccup!" He heard a blurry and unfocused voice call his name.

"Oh my Thor!" Hiccup barely registered the fact that light was now spilling into his hut. He did register Astrid's soft hand against his leg. His mouth just wasn't strong enough to form words, so he settled for barely twitching his finger.

"We have to give him the medicine. Right now." Hiccup felt an excruciating pain as his infected wound stung like fire. It lasted for several seconds, a dull burning ache. He actually managed to find the strength to cry out, as it felt like the wound was splitting apart. Then, slowly, slowly, the pain melted away. But it wasn't just the pain that was disappearing. So was the fever. Hiccup could feel his blood flowing again, could feel his breathing getting stronger.

"Whatever you used must have worked," he croaked out. Astrid had been staring at his wound, but when he spoke, her eyes hot to his face. She was at him like a cat, just a blur before her warm soft body was encasing his.

"I'm okay," Hiccup said, fighting back tears. Astrid closed her eyes tears spilling down her cheeks.

"I was so worried. You were dead."

"Well I guess I'm not now." Astrid laughed, then kissed him, her lips crashing onto his. Hiccup could feel his strength come roaring back, and returned the kiss with just as much fever and passion. His hands wrapped around her back, holding her tightly to him.

"Hiccup, I need to tell you something. Vigo's dead." Hiccup blinked in surprise.

"He what? You killed him?" Astrid shook her head, her eyes full of memories.

"The shellfire killed him. He was struck in the chest. He's gone."

"Well, I wouldn't say gone exactly." Astrid gasped as she heard Vigo's voice again. Hiccup felt confusion course through him.

"Getting hit by that shellfire was extremely painful though. Luckily this little bit of metal absorbed most of the energy." Astrid started towards him, but he put out a hand to stop her.

"I have hunters ready to kill the baby eruptodon right now. That's why the village didn't warn you of my presence."

"What do you want?" Hiccup spat.

"A duel," Vigo said cheerfully. "Hiccup Haddock and Vigo Grimborn will duel right now. To the death."

"Why would he do that?" Astrid challenged.

"Weren't you listening dear girl. I will will the eruptodon if he doesn't. You Hiccup, what do you say."

Hiccup sighed, knowing he had to protect Mala's people.

"Yes. I will duel with you Vigo. Until death."

 **One more chapter** **in this particular arc. Then maybe a sequel or continuing** **this story with another arc.**


	25. Final Showdown

Final Showdown

Astrid almost instantly protested to Hiccup's challenge.

"Hiccup don't," she pleaded.

"I have to," HIccup said, quickly kissing her on the cheek. He stepped outside, flinching as the sunlight hit his eyes. He'd spent the last few days inside, and being outside was unfamiliar now.

"Okay Vigo. You have yourself a duel," Hiccup said, walking to the center of the clearing. HIs legs still felt shaky, and he could tell he was much weaker than usual.

"Ah excellent Hiccup. Although I must admit, I wish you were at your best. You might not be at your best, and this could be considered unfair."

"You don't look so great yourself," Hiccup retorted. It was true. Vigo's hair was burnt, and stuck up in places. His arms were covered in burn marks, and his clothing was torn. Vigo tossed a sword at Hiccup's feet.

"No," Hiccup said. Vigo looked at him, surprised.

"I won't fight with weapons. I have a new challenge." Vigo cocked his head to the side, listening intently.

"It will be a duel. Between me and the dragon riders and you and the hunters." Hiccup glanced over at Astrid,and was relieved to see a smile on her face. She would fight to death for him, and he would do the same.

"That is an interesting proposal Hiccup. I'm guessing it's so you'll wipe out all of the hunters at once?"

"And you can wipe out the dragon riders," Hiccup shot back. Vigo considered for a moment, finally nodding his head.

"Very well Hiccup. However, some of my men will remain with the eruptodon to guard it." Hiccup nodded, expecting as much.

"Alright Hiccup. You have 20 minutes to prepare." With that, Vigo stalked off towards his men. Hiccup blew out a breath, and turned back to the riders.

"We're with you," Astrid said even before he could talk. Hiccup smiled, feeling incredibly grateful.

"Hiccup what happens if we win? Won't Vigo's men just kill the eruptodon."

"I know. That's why we have to be prepared." Hiccup signaled for Mala to come over.

"What is it Hiccup?" Mala looked back at the hunters. "I do hope you have a plan. This is very dangerous for you and the riders."

"You think we don't know that?" Snotlout blurted out, before being silenced by a glare from Mala.

"I know this is dangerous. And we need to be prepared for Vigo's men to kill the eruptodon if we win. I need you and the tribe to go and protect the eruptodon."

"But Vigo's made it clear if his men see anyone, they'll kill the eruptodon."

"That's why you can't be seen."

Mala greatly admired the leader of the dragon riders. She also knew she could trust him.

"Alright. I will go with some of my best warriors. But Hiccup, what happens if you lose? What should we do?" Hiccup looked grim, and Mala felt guilty for bringing up losing the duel.

"If we lose, there isn't much anyone can do. I'm taking a gamble here." Mala nodded, seeing the determination on the young man's face. _Vigo certainly has met his match_ , she thought.

Astrid climbed on Stormfly, preparing for the battle. She nervously sharpened her axe, the 20 minutes seemingly taking hours. Hiccup was talking with Mala and Throk, and Fishlegs was surveying Vigo's army of ships. Snotlout was busy doing push ups, and the twins weren't destroying things for once. Everyone understood that the fate of the dragons could rest on this fight. Hiccup broke away from the defenders, and walked back to the riders.

"Okay everyone. You all know what's at stake here. Vigo has all the advantages in the battle. But we have the dragons. That and we are willing to die for each other." Hiccup looked around, making sure he had everyone's attention.

"We've fought impossible battles before. Where it seemed like the only possible outcome was failure. But somehow, we succeeded. And it's because we care. Vigo thinks caring is a weakness. Let's prove him wrong." Everyone nodded eagerly, and mounted their dragons. Hiccup looked at Astrid, and his gaze said everything.

"I love you," Hiccup whispered. Astrid didn't care that they were facing certain death. Those 3 small words meant the world to her.

"I love you too," she said, with no uncertainty in her heart.

"Let's go."

Hiccup nudged Toothless, and shot into the air. Astrid's confession warmed his heart. Now all he needed to do was win the battle. Hiccup surveyed Vigo's ships, searching for a weakness. There had to be one somewhere. Toothless suddenly dived down sharply, narrowly avoiding a large boulder. Hiccup gripped tightly, and flew low to the water.

"Now Toothless!" Hiccup yelled, as they approached a nearing ship. Toothless fired off several rounds of plasma blast, totally demolishing the ship. Hiccup ducked to avoid the wood chips, and directed Toothless to the air. Ruff and Tuff had just finished off a chain of supply boats, a long line of fiery explosions. Astrid was currently ripping holes in the sails of Vigo's ships with Stormfly's tail. Hiccup and Toothless approached the main fleet, flying around them in a high circle. Arrows whizzed past them, and Toothless had to twist and twirl to avoid them. Hiccup nudged Toothless and the night fury shot downwards. First, they took out the flanking ships, trying to access Vigo's boat. It wasn't easy. For every shot Toothless got, they would have to spend a minute dodging arrows and boulders. Toothless dove downwards into the water, and pulled up right next to Vigo's ship.

Suddenly, a net appeared, entangling them before they could even move. Toothless tried to struggle, but they fell too quickly. Hiccup tried to release his metal foot, but was caught within the stirrup. They both crashed onto the deck, right where Vigo was waiting.

"You're just like me Hiccup. You couldn't resist going after you're old enemy." Hiccup was furious that he'd been caught. He struggled free of his stirrup, but was still ensnared in the net. Vigo approached him, his sword drawn. Hiccup flinched, waiting for the blow. Instead, Vigo cut him loose, but made sure Toothless was still stuck.

"Come on dragon rider. Let's see what you're capable of." Hiccup caught the sword that Vigo threw his way. He had to do this.

"Okay Vigo. I guess you get your duel." Vigo smiled, holding out his sword.

"May the best fighter win."

Hiccup went on the defense, skillfully blocking Vigo's blows. He parried and struck back, aiming for Vigo's vulnerable torso. Vigo was ready, and struck back, wrenching Hiccup's arm backwards. He gasped in pain, and barely managed to keep a grip on the sword. Hiccup leapt upwards, striking downwards with tremendous force. Vigo's legs buckled, and he collapsed onto the deck. Hiccup slowly approached, waiting for a sudden attack. A flash of blue in the sky caught his attention briefly, and his attention on Vigo lapsed. Vigo took advantage of this, and knocked Hiccup onto the ship's deck. Hiccup hit with a thud, and Vigo was instantly on him, pinning him down. Hiccup tried to surge upwards, but Vigo held him down.

"Vigo wait!" Hiccup cringed, and turned away. Vigo raised his sword upwards, seconds away from killing him.

A single spike stopped Vigo from murder. It was a deadly nadder spike, coming from Stormfly. Hiccup shoved Vigo's body off of him, slowly getting up. Astrid landed, and ran towards him. Hiccup gladly accepted her hug, breathing in her scent.

"I was so worried."

"Well, it's a good thing we thought of the same thing," Hiccup said.

"I know. We both knew Vigo would go directly at you. He wanted to take you down himself. I was just lucky that I got to you in time." Hiccup smiled, feeling incredibly lucky.

"The battle's over," Astrid murmured. Hiccup glanced around, seeing that she was right. The few remaining ships were fleeing, while most of the others were blown to bits in the water. Vigo was dead. The hunters were gone. The past few months had been pure hell. Kidnappings, betrayals, and losses. Hiccup realized now what he needed to do. Battling Vigo had taught him he needed to live in the moment.

"Astrid?" Hiccup asked tentatively. Astrid separated herself from him, looking at him straight in the eye.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Will you give me the honor of pursuing a relationship with me?"

"I thought that was what we were doing all along," Astrid teased.

"So yes or no?" Hiccup asked. Astrid grinned, and kissed him passionately.

"I'm guessing that's a yes?"

 **Okay, I've put up a poll on my profile, please vote either for a sequel or for another arc. Or comment. This could also be an end, so you can vote for that as well.**

 **Thank you so much for the support on this story. It's been amazing how many people have read it. I am very honored to have people who like my work, and hope to continue to please. So now the only question is: what's next?**

 **Sequel, continuation, new story, end of this**


	26. The Beginning of the End

The Beginning of the End

The trip back to the edge was a happy one. Hiccup felt a sense of accomplishment, although he knew it came with a cost. Vigo was gone, dead. Yet, something was nagging him. Snotlout had chided him, and said he should just enjoy the victory. Unfortunately that wasn't the way Hiccup worked. Astrid must have noticed his worried face, because she flew over, concern etched in her features.

"Hiccup, what's wrong? We won the battle! Vigo will never hurt us or the dragons again."

"I know," Hiccup said, trying to sound cheerful. "It's just that… it feels like the battle isn't over yet." Astrid thought about that for a moment, biting her lip.

"I don't know, maybe I'm just being paranoid," Hiccup said. Astrid looked at him sympathetically.

"We've been through alot in the past few months. It's understandable that you have doubts. But the dragon hunters really can't function without Vigo. He was like their 're nothing without their leader." Hiccup nodded, pushing away his worries. Astrid was probably right. There wasn't anything to worry about.

"So, do you want to go back to the edge now?" Astrid asked.

"As tempting as that sounds," Hiccup began regretfully. "We really should get to Berk, and talk to my dad." Astrid nodded in agreement.

"Hey gang," Hiccup called. "I know you're tired, but we need to get back to Berk first. We can rest there for the night." After the battle, they'd spent an hour with Mala and the tribe, celebrating their victory. Mala had been very grateful, and had once again welcomed them to the island anytime. Vigo had done much harm to their tribe as well, stealing the eruptodon, a vital dragon to their survival. _Stop it_ , he told himself. _The dragon hunters are gone now. Vigo is gone. Now just enjoy the victory._

The ocean looked more like a graveyard at this point. Wooden planks were floating around, with debris covering the surface of the sea. Vigo's body was still on the ship, the deadly nadder spike driven deep into his chest. The dragon hunters were huddling in a scared mass on one boat. Their Leader was gone. Vigo had been the strategist. The others just followed his orders.

"What are we going to do now?" One of the hunters asked in despair.

"Shut your whining," another snapped.

"Enough!" a bold voice commanded. The hunters turned their fearful gazes upon the person.

"Vigo's death was necessary. He cared too much about the game. My father needed to die to ensure the survival of the dragon hunters. From now on, I am your leader."

"Erik, your father made it clear that Elliot was to succeed him. He never said anything about you."

"Well, you don't see Elliot anywhere do you? No. After Hiccup killed him, the throne went to me." Erik smiled, a plan already forming in his mind. He had all the same planning skills as Vigo, but he knew how to use them. Vigo could have killed Hiccup. Instead he chose to savor his victory and wait. Erik wouldn't be that foolish.

"The dragon riders killed my father. We will have our revenge. And we will also take out the dragon population as a whole! This is where we stand!" Erik yelled.

He jumped onto a large wooden crate, so he was higher than everyone else.

"We will win. But victory does not come easy. It will take time. Luckily, our trade is still largely intact. Hiccup didn't do as much damage as he may have thought. We will rebuild our stock. I want dragons ready for sale by next week." The hunters really had no choice. Elliot was dead, and Erik was now their leader.

"Alright, get to work." While his men were working on rebuilding their trade, Erik would study the dragon riders.

Astrid knew she hadn't really eased Hiccup's worry. She knew that he felt responsible for the damage Vigo had done. Until he could forgive himself, he was going to worry. Astrid understood him completely. She also knew that things like this took time, and effort. But, now that she and Hiccup were in a romantic relationship, maybe they could slowly work through it. Life was messy, but if you had the right person, it was totally worth it.

Astrid had seen the good in Hiccup a long time ago. Ever since he had introduced her to Toothless. She had been a fool not to see it earlier, but in her defense, Hiccup simply hadn't seemed normal in viking standards. But gradually, Astrid began to see the kind, intelligent, and caring person underneath. Now, she hoped they could have a shot at something she knew would be incredible.

"Astrid, do you really think the dragon hunters are gone?" Fishlegs asked, timidly. It wasn't just Hiccup who was having doubts.

"Of course they're gone Fishface," Snotlout retorted. "Did you not see Vigo flop over dead? And the fact that we blew their entire fleet of ships to smithereens." Snotlout rolled his eyes, and fixed his hair.

"It was probably because of me and Hookfang's awesomeness. We sent the dragon hunters running in their boots."

"Yeah," Astrid put in. "That high pitched squeal could freak anyone out. So could the 'Hold me Hookfang' you yelled a few times." Snotlout tried to find a comeback, but couldn't, so he flew to the left, pointing his nose in the air. Astrid grinned, then turned back to Fishlegs.

"Hiccup was thinking the same thing. But the hunters are worthless without a leader. And no one else in their group was qualified. Not even Riker, and he's the best out of the bunch." Fishlegs took this in, nodded, and moved away. He seemed content with her answer. They all knew that there would be trouble ahead. Life wasn't perfect. But what they didn't know was that it would strike so soon, and so close to home. This new threat could do more damage than a whole army of Berserkers.

 **Hello again everyone. So this is arc 2 of Adventures of the Edge. However, I have also posted this same beginning on another story called "The Beginning of the End." They are the same. The latter is just for new readers. Erik is a prominent figure this arc. His background will also be further explored. Thanks. R &R**


	27. Shadows of the past

Shadows of the past

A young boy was crouched in the corner, doing his best to hide in the shadows. That was what his mother had told him to do. A man was in the small house, shouting and waving his hands.

"Get out," his mother ordered. The boy squished himself further into his corner, his heart pounding in his ears.

"I want to see my son," the man said.

"He is not your son," his mother spat back. She began backing up, small steps making her way towards her son.

"I will see him. Even if I have to fight you to do it." The man raised his hand, poised to strike. Even the young boy could see the ending of this. HIs mother stumbled back with the force of the hit.

"No, please don't take him!" she pleaded.

"You had another son. Why don't you go back to him?" The man hit again, this one knocking her to the floor.

"He is not your son! Just because you forced yourself upon me doesn't mean you are his father." The man chuckled.

"Well, I'm afraid it does." She yelled, and flew upwards, trying to get the upper hand. He was too fast. With a swing of his hand, he sent her flying against the wall. She crashed, and fell to the floor, blood seeping from her forehead. The man then turned his attentions to the boy.

"No please," the boy whimpered.

"Now now Erik. Is that anyway to talk to your father?" Erik's eyes widened.

"You're my father?" he asked in disbelief. He glanced over at his mother, unconscious on the floor.

"What did you do to her?" he asked, charging at the man. He gasped as the breath was knocked out of him as a hard boot made contact with his gut. He rolled onto the floor, wincing in pain.

"Vigo? We have the mixture for you." Vigo glanced out of the door, at his men. One of them brought him a vial of blueish green mixture.

"And it does what I want?" he asked.

"Yes sir. Once you give it to him, this will become like a foggy memory. He won't be able to remember."

"Perfect," Vigo said. "I'll tell him his mother was brutally murdered by dragons. That will only fuel his hate."

"What about his mother?" the hunter asked.

"She was a nice night in my teenage years. Get rid of her. Take her back to her original home. The one before she had Erik." The hunter nodded, and motioned two other men to help him. Erik watched the whole scene with horror. The man who claimed to be his father approached with a blue vial. Then everything went black.

"I can't believe you did it son!" Stoick yelled happily. "Well I mean I can… but I didn't think it would be so soon. I'm so proud of you son!" Hiccup gasped as he was given a massive bear hug from his father.

"Thanks dad." He would have taken an overdramatic proud Stoick to the disapproving one any day.

"You should have seen him," Fishlegs said. "He was so skillful with Vigo."

"Oh please," Snotlout interrupted. "I think we all know who the real hero was here. Me." Hookfang snuck up behind him, and blew hot breath onto Snotlout's neck. The statement was quickly revised.

"I mean me and Hookfang of course," he said nervously. Hiccup smiled, actually appreciating Snotlout's boasting. It was normal, and right now, Hiccup desperately needed normal. Astrid came up and kissed him on the cheek. Actually scratch that. Maybe there were some abnormal things that he did need more often. Stoick smiled at the two of them, a knowing but happy look in his eyes.

"Something you two wish to tell me?" he asked.

"Well… umm… Astrid and I are… sort of… together," Hiccup said lamely. Astrid rolled her eyes, and gave him a fond smile.

"Yak got your tongue?" she asked, teasingly.

"I knew they were meant for each other from the star," Gobber chimed in. "I read it in the stars." Stoick gave Gobber a questioning look, but laughed it off.

"Well, I think that our heroes deserve a feast in the Great Hall."

"I second that," Gobber said, patting his belly.

"You really did Berk proud son," Stoick said, smiling warmly down at Hiccup. "I couldn't have done half as good on my own."

Hiccup smiled, glowing under his father's praise. Growing up, what made him work harder than anything else was getting his father's approval. No amount of physical pain, or harsh words could do better than the want for approval when it came to being motivated.

"Well, I'll go and arrange the feast. I expect you guys will want to rest," Stoick said, turning around, and striding towards the Great Hall. Fishlegs went home to do some quite relaxing, while the twins and Snotlout flew out to academy, probably to blow things up. That left Astrid and Hiccup.

"So, you wanna do something?" Hiccup asked, hesitantly. Astrid grinned, slightly enjoying this amusing new nervous and hesitant Hiccup.

"You want to go for a walk in the forest?" she asked.

"Sure," Hiccup said. Stormfly willingly flew back home, but Toothless was a little more hesitant. At first, he was unwilling to leave them alone, but with some convincing, and promises of good slamon, he was persuaded to go home.

Hiccup and Astrid entered the soft woods, relishing the mild weather. Sun beams shone through the trees, illuminating everything in a beautiful golden glow. They walked hand in hand, simply enjoying the natural scenery. They walked along on a dirt path, deeper in the woods. They stayed out until it was time to head back for the feast.

Erik ran a hand through his messy light brown hair. Seeing Hiccup and his father only heightened his jealousy. His father had been cold, and unforgiving. His mother had been kind and gentle, but she was gone now. Viciously murdered by dragons. He closed his eyes, remembering her face. Soft eyes, and soft brown hair.

"I'm so sorry mother," he whispered. "This is for you. I will take down the dragons. And I will do it in the name of Valka."

 **Wow. Lots of family problems coming up. And just to warn you guys, I am going to deepen Erik's character. So if you just want someone to hate as a villain, Erik isn't your guy. He does have a very tortured backstory. All coming up very soon.**


	28. First Strike

First Strike

"Erik?" Vigo's voice echoed throughout the camp. His father was looking for him. Erik knew that. His 12 year old mind still couldn't comprehend the cruel punishments his father came up with.

"Erik!" The voice was commanding now, almost scaring Erik out of his hiding place. He forced himself to stay in his corner, hiding near the armory. He squeezed his eyes shut, and prepared to move so his father couldn't find him. However, just as he exited the hiding place, a shadow fell over him. His heart sank, and he slowly looked up. Vigo towered over him, a look of disappointment on his face.

"My son is being a coward. Is that what I taught you?" Vigo stepped back, allowing Erik to rise to his feet.

"You're not my father," Erik hissed. "I may not know where I came from, but I knew I had a happier past." HIs voice rose, becoming desperate. "Why do you make me do these things?" he asked. Vigo grabbed his arm, leading him to the arena.

"I do this to train you. Right now, you're weak. I want to help you become strong. Can you do that for your father?" Erik looked away, and slowly nodded his head.

"Yes father," he muttered.

"This is for your own good. Remember that." Vigo patted him on the head, and handed him a sword. Even at such a young age, Erik was already a master swordsman. There was a talent within him, that with or without Vigo, would have come out anyway. Erik did enjoy the thrill of battle, the energy that came from a fight. He was cunning, and knew when to use violence. Those qualities would have been in him from the start. What Vigo had taught him was savagery. That was what Erik didn't approve of. The merciless slaughtering of anyone who was of the least bit inconvenient to him. But it was the only thing Erik knew. Vigo had bred his conscious out of him.

"Erik!" Vigo's loud voice startled him out of his thoughts.

"Yes father," he said, hurrying to his father's side. Vigo nodded approvingly, motioning to the arena.

"Who am I going to be facing?" Erik asked.

"He's a trader," Vigo responded. "But he has broken my trust, and is to be put to death. I expect you to the deed."

"How good is he?" Erik asked, hesitantly.

"Don't worry. You can beat him." Erik gulped, and with a heavy heart, stepped into the arena.

Astrid weaved through the crowd, feeling incredibly overwhelmed by the crowd. Lanterns and torches had been hung all around the village, for the celebration. It was well after midnight, and the party was still going strong.

"Astrid," she heard a familiar voice call. Relief was evident on her face, when she saw Hiccup approach.

"Thank Thor," she said. "I was getting very overwhelmed." She nodded at a woman who was praising her for getting rid of Vigo.

"I know what you mean. Especially because I don't think this is over. It's like it was with the Screaming death. Something is off." Astrid sighed, as this was becoming quite regular.

"It's been a long time since we could just enjoy life. For the past couple months, we were always looking over are backs, waiting for an ambush." She paused, letting him know that she understood what he was going through.

"But for now, we don't have to do that. You told me you were going to live in the moment. How are we going to pursue a relationship if you're always worried about preparing for an attack?" Hiccup started at the ground for a few seconds, not responding.

"I guess you're right. I'm sorry Astrid. I'm being unfair to you. I'll make it up to you." Astrid shook her head.

"You don't have to. You're just being human. It's natural. But don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. We have plenty of time to work through… stuff." Hiccup grinned, holding himself higher.

"You're right. Thanks Astrid." He was then pulled away by a man, eager for details of the battle. He blew a kiss, which made Astrid smile. She could've sworn she'd seen him mouth Love you, but maybe that was just what she wanted.

A gulping sound turned her attention to Toothless, who was gulping down smoked salmon. He must've grabbed a basket, and was now eating in a secluded corner. She laughed, and went in search of Stormfly.

Hiccup wasn't sure whether Astrid had heard what had slipped out of his mouth. It had been spur of the moment. As he was being pulled away, he'd called out "love you", but wasn't sure whether she's heard him or not. After he'd politely excused himself from the man, he went in search of his father. He passed Ruffnut and Tuffnut, majorly exaggerating their part in the battle.

"So, then there was Hiccup. He would have been killed if we hadn't come to the rescue. Yup. We won that battle because of me and Belch," Tuffnut boasted. Hiccup grinned, somehow okay with Tuffnut's boasting. He knew he was just having fun. He turned away, trying to find his father. In the corner of his eye, he saw a figure dart off into the trees, but when he turned to investigate, nothing was there. The next moment, he spotted the hulking figure of his father, and forgot about what he'd just seen. He stepped back into the crowds, and was quickly jam packed between people, fighting to even move.

Toothless swallowed the last fish, licking his lips appreciatively. So far, Hiccup hadn't called for him, so Toothless was in no hurry to move. He rather liked this nice secluded corner, where he could eat. He sprawled out, kicking the basket away. In his mind, the battle was over. He trusted Hiccup, and he seemed to think the whole Vigo fiasco was finished.

He stretched, yawning, and preparing for a quick nap. He curled up, then felt a sharp sting in his leg. He tried to get up, but found his legs wouldn't move. He tried to call out, but everything was getting blurry. As a desperate last attempt, he fired off three plasma blasts, one of them catching a tree on fire. The, his eyes closed, and he fell asleep.

"That's the night fury?" Erik asked. His men nodded.

"Good. Then let's get him on the ship. Set course for the base camp. Let's go."

 **Sorry for the delay. I hope to post more often. R &R. Thanks**

 **NightLightning21**


	29. Keep your guard up

Keep your guard up

Never wait. That was what Vigo had always told him. Erik stepped into the ring, more mentally bracing himself than physically bracing himself. It wasn't winning he was concerned about. It was the pure savagery of it all. _Father says it's the only way_ , he told himself.

"Are you ready opponents?" a voice called from overhead. Erik glanced upwards, shielding his eyes from the sun. The unique silhouette of Vigo was all to obvious. Erik sighed, and turned to face his opponent. He was a young man. Maybe 25. At the time, Erik was only 12.

The young man stared into Erik's eyes, pleading for mercy. He had no idea how desperately Erik wanted to give it to him. But he had a job to do.

"What are your crimes?" Erik demanded, in the thundering voice his father had taught him. His opponent shrank further back, almost dropping his sword. Vigo answered from overhead.

"He was stealing documents from the guards quarters." Erik turned back towards the supposed traitor, narrowing his eyes.

"This will be your last chance traitor," Vigo said, obviously enjoying the spectacle.

"You can either fight my son, and try and win freedom, or simply take death right now. If you beat Erik, you will be let go." The traitor looked at Erik, sizing him up. Though, given certain death, Erik had found that most people had chosen the sliver of hope that they might survive this battle.

"I'll fight," the man said, in a timid voice. Erik nodded, readying his sword.

"If you kill him, you will be given a slow and torturous death," Vigo warned, before raising his arm.

"Let the battle commence!"

Erik immediately went on the attack, sprinting across the arena with ease. He jumped upwards, bringing his sword down with tremendous force. Much to his surprise, the traitor could take the force of the blow. Erik had found that if someone could withstand that blow, it usually meant they were a good fighter.

"Let me guess, you thought I was weak, and couldn't fight you?" the man asked. On fact, those were the exact thoughts passing through Erik's brain right then.

"Well, Vigo also underestimated me. And when I kill you, my mission will be compete. You are nothing but scum, dragon hunter," the man spat. Erik struggled to maintain a check on his anger. Instead of lashing out with words, Erik swung an expert strike, almost breaking his opponent's bone. The sword was dropped, as Erik almost broke his opponent's wrist. He knew he had to finish this one. If he called for help, Vigo would shame him.

"You come in here, and infiltrate us, and the try to kill me. And now you think you'll get away?" Erik asked, preparing for another strike.

"I'll take my chances." In one quick movement, the intruder had grabbed his sword, and was striking back. Erik jumped upwards, but the tip caught his torso. Pain lanced through him, and Erik momentarily back off. The wound wasn't deep, wasn't going to threaten his life. But it stung fiercely, and only heightened Erik's desire to beat this guy.

Erik did relish the thrill of battle. But then, so did most vikings. That wasn't the bad part. In fact, that rush of adrenaline was about to save Erik's life. During his brief lapse, his opponent had advanced, ready to end the battle.

But Erik wasn't going out that easily. He forced himself to wait. Every instinct was screaming at him to move from this death blow, but he didn't. Instead he waited for the downward strike to start, and using his extra energy, rolled away, and into safety. Then, with lightning fast movement, he popped back up, and shoved his sword into his opponent's unguarded back. Blood flew, and splattered onto his shirt. Erik had angled his shot so it would go directly into the sword. The body now sagged, half held up by his sword.

Cheering erupted above him, as the dragon hunters celebrated their victory. Erik was still staring at the body, and surprisingly, wasn't satisfied. The traitor hadn't felt any pain. The stab had killed him instantly. To his absolute horror, that wasn't enough for Erik. He'd wanted to make the invader pay for his crimes. He looked up, his eyes clearly showing his horror. Vigo looked at him, recognizing that look.

"This is who you are," he mouthed, and if the day wasn't bad enough, Erik realized Vigo was right.

"Toothless?" Hiccup had seen the rapid fire of plasma blasts, and had gone searching for his dragon. All around him, vikings were running around, trying to put out the tree that had caught on fire. There was no way Toothless would be that reckless. There had to be a reason.

"Toothless?" Hiccup called again. He began weaving through the crowd, going towards the shots' point of origin. It had come somewhere from the edge of town.

"Hiccup?" he heard a voice call out. Astrid.

"What's going on?" Astrid asked, in a worried voice. "Why was Toothless firing?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," said Hiccup, taking off again. Astrid followed, easily weaving through the large crowd. They came upon the spot, where two fish baskets were knocked over.

"I saw Toothless eating here earlier," Astrid put in, trying to figure what had happened. Then she saw it.

"Hiccup," she said, slowly walking towards an object lying on the ground. It was an arrow, probably from the attackers. She carefully picked it up, instantly recognizing what it was.

"Is that?" Hiccup asked, praying that it wasn't.

"Yup," Astrid said. "It's a dragon hunter arrow." She examined it more closely.

"And there's blood on it." Hiccup raced forward, and snatched the arrow, holding it close to his eye.

"What does this mean?" Astrid asked, already half knowing the answer.

"It means one of my worst nightmares has come true. The dragon hunters have a new leader." They stared at each other, realization sinking in. Their troubles weren't over. They had let their guard down. Somehow, the dragon hunters had found a new leader. _I let my guard down. And now Toothless is gone._

Erik looked at the unconscious dragon before him. He had seen the devotion Hiccup had shown for this night fury. He would go to the ends of the earth to find him. But Erik would make it easy. Because he had other plans for Hiccup than wild goose chase. Plans that were far more sinister.

 **Hello guys. Thanks for waiting. I'm thinking this arc will last** **for maybe another 10-15 chapters. Maybe more, maybe less. And if you want** **it, I do have an idea for a 3rd arc, probably much shorter. Appreciate** **every one of you.**

 **NightLightning21**


	30. Healing

Healing

Astrid hated feeling useless. And yet, right now, she was. She'd walked Hiccup back to his house, the dragon rider still in shock. On the way back, Astrid had made sure that Stormfly was safe, and with the other riders.

They entered Hiccup's house, both silent. The fire was burnt out, nothing more than dimly glowing embers. One look at HIccup just confirmed he needed to take some time to absorb everything.

"I'll go get some firewood," Astrid said, awkwardly breaking the silence. HIccup looked up at her, his eyes haunted and hollow. It scared Astrid more than any weapon.

When she slipped outside, the cool air was a welcome relief. Inside the house, the air was stifling, the atmosphere so tense. She couldn't begin to imagine what Hiccup was going through.

She rubbed at her eyes, wiping away a single tear. Crying wasn't going to help. They needed a plan. Astrid slipped to the back, selecting five logs from the woodpile.

Astrid paused at the door, preparing herself for what was going to be inside. Hiccup wasn't going to be the young man she loved. She knew that. Hiccup was a person who felt emotions deeply. It was one of the things that had attracted her to him in the first place. The sensitive yet strong nature. The ability to relate, yet be sensible at the same time. Astrid took a deep breath, pushing a strand of blonde hair out of her face.

She entered, and saw Hiccup sitting on a wooden chair. When she passed, she gently brushed his shoulder, trying to be reassuring. He didn't even acknowledge her. She was smart enough to not take it personally.

She carefully built the logs up, and lit the wood. Within a few minutes, there was a small but steady flame.

"Hiccup, you should come over to the fire," Astrid suggested in a soft voice. Hiccup continued to sit in the shadows, the flickering light illuminating his back. Astrid wasn't sure what to do. She was never good with emotions. That's why she'd been so hesitant to enter a relationship with Hiccup.

Astrid didn't know whether she should push. It could make things better or worse. Yet at the same time, another thought entered her head. Hiccup wouldn't snap out of this unless he had help.

Astrid walked over, gently ruffling his hair. She kissed him softly on the head. At the same time, her hand slipped over his hand, gently grasping it. To her surprise, Hiccup didn't protest when she led him over to the fire. The look in his soft green eyes was enough to shatter her heart into a million pieces.

"Hiccup I know what you're doing," Astrid said, softly touching his arm. Hiccup looked up at her, a tear slipping down his cheek.

"I know how tempting it is to build up walls. But I'm here to tell you that's wrong. All that does is block emotion. Emotions like love." Astrid was entering dangerous waters for herself as well. She really needed to open herself up if she was going to make Hiccup listen.

"Hiccup, we will get Toothless. I don't care if we have to search the whole world. I know he's your best friend." Hiccup took a deep breath, although it sounded choked.

"I just don't know Astrid. I don't want to hurt like this ever."

"But you can't have happiness without pain." Astrid scooted closer, so their legs were touching.

"If you close yourself down, it will accomplish nothing. Toothless will be lost forever, and you'll be turning down a chance for love. So tell me, am I worth the pain?" Astrid asked, looking directly into his eyes.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Hiccup choked out, swallowing hard. Astrid closed her eyes, preparing to really get deep.

"When I first started liking you, it was scary. You were always in danger. That meant my heart was always in danger. But that's what love is. It's not supposed to be safe. It has risk. I took that risk, and now, I'm in love with you." She wasn't ready to say that. But she also knew that her confession would speak to Hiccup. Sure enough, his head jerked up, and he stared at her.

"You are?" he asked, wonder in his voice. Okay, now he was just being dull.

"I have been for a while." Astrid could see her words were getting through to him.

"But you could still get hurt. Just like Toothless," Hiccup stated, bitterness in voice.

"I lost my best didn't deserve that. He was only ever trying to protect me." She was losing him.

"Toothless made that decision. He's loyal to you Hiccup. He was willing to take the risks. Don't shut yourself off because you're too scared."

"Love is like a fire," Astrid said, gesturing to the bright flame.

"It can flicker, it can waver. It can burn down. But it will never be gone. We cherish fire, just as we cherish love. You're not going to never have a fire just because of the risks right? So the same goes for love. I think it's worth it." She moved even closer, putting his hand on her heart.

"This is me Hiccup. I'm not going anywhere. We'll get Toothless back."

Hiccup looked down at his hand, reality sinking in. Astrid was staring at the floor, so Hiccup gently brought her face up to his. Their lips met in a soft embrace. It was like a slow fire, with just enough warmth. Hiccup could feel his thoughts clearing, and his hands gently roamed Astrid's back. Her hands were tangled in his hair, as her tongue parted his lips. There was still a hesitation but that was to be expected.

Hiccup knew that he would find Toothless. He could never live without his best friend, but in some ways, Astrid was now his best friend. And the dull ache in his heart, from Toothless went away for a while. With Astrid so close, her tongue in his mouth, a sweet fire enveloping. The real flames warming both of them, the soft light making everything that much more perfect. Hiccup broke the kiss, but pulled Astrid close. Their foreheads were touching, both leaning on each other.

"Astrid did I mention I love you too?"

 **Sorry for not posting in so long. Also sorry if you wanted more plot. I just felt that a Hiccstrid chapter was appropriate. Also, comments really encourage me. You guys are amazing. R &R**

 **NightLightning21**


	31. Recovery

Recovery

He was back. The old Hiccup was back, but with a new determination. He had to find Toothless. Astrid had reawakened the spark inside of him. He stared at the sky, thinking about a plan.

He had to get past the dragon hunters in order to get his dragon back. So the first step was to find out who his enemy was.

"We couldn't find anything at the… abduction site," Astrid said, walking into the house. She was a welcome sight. The news… not so much. He really needed some good news.

"Okay, so Toothless just disappeared without a trace?" he asked, a hint of the old depression seeping through his otherwise excellent emotion shield. Astrid was not stupid. She knew instantly what was wrong.

"Hiccup, this isn't your fault. Remember that," Astrid said, touching his arm comfortingly. He knew she was right. He shook his head, trying to focus again.

"We need to get eyes on whoever took Toothless. Maybe we can figure out a plan." Hiccup narrowed his eyes, looking towards the shores of Berk. Finding Toothless would be like finding a needle in a haystack. But, that didn't mean it was impossible.

"We need to start searching the ocean. The hunter's boat has to be somewhere." Astrid sighed, looking defeated.

"Okay. Whatever you say. I'll gather the riders." Hiccup knew that Astrid wasn't very optimistic. He waited until she was gone, before pulling out his journal. In it, were drawings. They were maps of the entire archipelago. Hiccup studied the maps, touching the different islands.

"Where would you take him?" he asked.

Astrid looked at her map on her wall. She knew that running out blindly would be absolutely useless.

"Astrid? What's going on?" Fishlegs asked, walking into her house.

"Well, you know that Toothless was captured right?" Astrid asked. Fishlegs nodded, looking extremely worried.

"Well, Hiccup's trying to find out where the hunters took Toothless. We need to find out a place where they would harbor a hunter camp." Fishlegs' expression changed to confusion.

"But, he came by my house, asking for my maps of the archipelago. Then he sped off on Nightwhisper." Astrid wasn't at all ready to hear that. So she decided to go after the less shocking thing.

"Nightwhisper? Elliot's skrill?" she asked, in surprise.

"You didn't know?" Fishlegs asked. Astrid's eyes drilled into him, demanding answers. Fishlegs squirmed, obviously not wanting to betray his friend.

"Fishlegs," Astrid said slowly, narrowing her eyes at him. Fishlegs looked like he would rather be eating rotten cod.

"I can't betray Hiccup." Astrid glared at him, somehow managing to look even scarier. Fishlegs blinked, biting his lip.

"Hiccup has been trying to train Nightwhisper ever since… Elliot…" Astrid sighed, annoyed at how everyone tiptoed around that subject.

"Fishlegs, Elliot's been dead for a while. And besides, in the end, he made the wrong choice. Does the death of my friend hurt? Yes. But the Elliot who Hiccup killed was not that person." Fishlegs nodded, squirming backwards.

"Anyway, Hiccup managed to retrain NIghtwhisper, and uses him when Toothless is busy." Astrid silently cursed under her breath, knowing there was no way she could catch up with a skrill. With the power of lightning on their side, skrills could actually manage to hold a candle to night furies.

"I'm going to take Stormfly. You stay here, and alert everyone else," Astrid demanded, quickly running towards the stables.

Stormfly was already saddled up, so Astrid hopped on, and took to the skies.

"Find Nightwhisper," she said, letting Stormfly smell both Hiccup's shirt, and Nightwhisper's blanket. Stormfly growled, before shooting off into the distance.

Hiccup knew he had found the camp. It made sense really. A small, secluded rocky island, on nobody's map but Fishlegs'. No one would ever think to look there. Not to mention only a couple hours away from Dragon's Edge. Hiccup motioned for Nightwhisper to land, hiding behind a large outcrop of rock.

He peeked out, just barely able to see the beginnings of the hunters' campsite. Greenish tinted cages were lined up in neat rows, ready for new dragons. Further in would be the captured dragons.

Suddenly, he heard a loud vice overhead, and ducked back behind his rock.

"Be careful with that night fury! He's precious to me." Hiccup's fists curled when he heard that. Toothless was here all right. Hiccup scurried away from his current hiding place, finding a niche in another rock with a better view. He saw several cages being dragged away from the camp, supervised by a young man with his back facing Hiccup.

"The night fury's sedated? Good, then continue bringing him." _Toothless is over there._ Hiccup craned to get a better view, getting a flash of black, before hunters blocked his view. This was his chance. With Toothless out in the open, and few men to guard him. He snuck back over to Nightwhisper, and hopped on.

"Go," he whispered, scrunching himself down. Nightwhisper took off, flying into the forest. Hiccup watched through the trees, as the dragons were carted off into the forest. He could see a small party of men, maybe 13 moving into the forest as well. Their leader followed, glancing around, before going in. Hiccup took a deep breath, steeling himself. He nudged Nightwhisper, and the skrill took to the air once flew straight upwards, before plunging back down. One shot from Nightwhisper, took out half of the tightly grouped party. Nightwhisper then dove, readying another blast. This one was not aimed at the men, but at the cages. Hiccup had found that the electrical energy of the skrill weakened the cages enough to be forced open. The ball of lightning hit, exploding around the party.

Hiccup hopped off, taking down two men in the confusion. He looked back for Nightwhisper, only to find him gone. Within the next two seconds, a net was cast over him, and he found himself looking directly at the hunters' leader.

Hiccup gasped in surprise, at seeing the man before him. He was really more of a teen. But that wasn't the most shocking part. He looked… he looked like an altered version of himself. Darker hair, bigger build, and mean brown eyes. But the basic structure was there.

"Hello Hiccup. Delighted to meet you." The boy said. "My name's Erik. And you'll be staying with me for a while."

 **Hey guys, here's another chapter. It was really fun to write.**

 **Coming up next… Hiccup finds himself in the hands of the dragon hunter leader, who also happens to be his half brother. When he learns a little about Erik, conflictions arise.**

 **You guys are amazing**

 **NightLightning21**


	32. Ghosts

Ghosts

Hiccup wiggled his hands, testing the ropes binding his hands. They were firm and tight. No escaping that way. He tugged the ropes again, knowing it would be impossible to break the dragon proof structure he was roped to. He watched as hunters prepared more cages, sending them into the forest. His metal foot brushed against the charred earth, remnants of Nightwhisper's attempts to free him, before getting shot down by the dragon root arrows. Toothless was with Nightwhisper, and the other dragons in the forest. Hiccup needed to get the night fury and skrill back before they were traded. But first, he needed to get free. He continued trying to work his hands, all the while thinking about the boy he'd seen. It was like looking at a younger version of him. With a few changes of course. But still… they were so similar.

Hiccup had recognized something in the boy's eyes as well. He'd gotten just a glimpse. But he knew that look anywhere. He'd had it for most of his life. The look of a broken heart. Not even the best actor could keep it out of his gaze. He needed to talk to the boy, then maybe, he could get some answers.

* * *

Erik had barely made it away from Hiccup without showing his shock. He'd never seen the dragon rider up close before, and hadn't noticed the striking resemblance. He told himself that it was just a coincidence. That they just happened to look similar. But, there was something lingering, like a fishbone stuck in his throat. His mother had told him he was an only child. But sometimes she had slipped. She would say "boys" rather than "boy." There was no way that Erik was going back to Hiccup right now. He needed some time to just think.

"I will be in the forest," he informed one of the guards. He strut off, looking as confident and collected as always.

Once he was in the forest, he broke down. He grabbed several small rocks, hurling them into the pond. He ran as fast as he could, trying to escape the hurtful memories. He wanted to be gone… from all of it.

Finally, he flopped down on the wet grass, sucking in harsh ragged breaths. He pulled a small carving, attached to a piece of string out from under his shirt. His mother had given him the small lump of gold after an exploration they'd had. They had gone to a small stream for the day, to play in the water. She'd found the piece of pure gold, and had given it to him as a gift. He still remembered her soft words, soothing him like a lullaby.

"Gold is precious my son. Just like family is. And I never want you to forget that. Remember what I taught you son." He'd known the phrase since he was a small boy, and had wondered about family. She'd reassured him, saying one day, he would have a brother that he could play with. He could have a family to love and care for.

"Family is a golden gift. It means the world." That was her favorite saying. She also told him to never lose faith, and that his family would always find him.

Erik stared at the gold, a storm of emotions brewing inside of him. Anger… pain… love… and the last one surprised him, hope. His mother's lessons of hoping for a family were all flooding back to him, as well as a tidal wave of mixed feelings. He needed to talk to Hiccup. He needed to know if his mother really did have another son. But the past was a trick thing. And what was he going to do if Hiccup was indeed his brother?

* * *

Hiccup rubbed his wrists raw in the first hour. Now, they were tender, and he thoroughly regretted his decision. He shifted his shoulder, trying to get more comfortable. He desperately wanted to send word to the riders. And one rider in particular.

Astrid didn't deserve this. He had run off without telling her. Hiccup would've smacked himself, but he was a little tied up at the moment. He almost laughed at the pun. He traced his foot in the dust, still pondering on how he was going to get out of this situation. That know wasn't coming undone anytime soon, so for now, he was stuck here.

"Hey," Hiccup called to the guard. The burly man whipped around, staring at the prisoner.

"You talkin to me rider?" he asked, gruffly.

"No, I was talking with the friendly squirrel," Hiccup said, rolling his eyes. The guard actually seemed genuinely confused, and Hiccup just gave up. Apparently not ever hunter was incredibly intelligent. This one acted like he had no brain.

Hiccup was about to call again, when Erik actually walked out of the forest. He had a haunted look in his eyes. Not that Hiccup was in the mood for caring at the moment. His desperation was making him unreasonable.

"I need to talk to you Hiccup," Erik said, walking over to him.

"Well, then bring out the pie, and we'll chat around the fire," Hiccup muttered.

"Who's your mother?" Erik asked, getting right to the point. That question caught Hiccup off guard.

"What?" he asked, making sure he heard right.

"Your mother," Erik said again. Hiccup was completely bewildered. Why was this person asking about his mother.

"You're getting a little personal aren't you?" Hiccup asked. "Considering I don't even know who you are." Erik ran a hand through his hair, clearly stressed.

"Just tell me," he said, walking even closer this time. "Was her name Valka?" Hiccup had only heard that name mentioned in stories. But he knew the name of his mother. It caught him by surprise to the extent that he almost fell over.

"Well, judging from your reaction, I will assume I'm right?" Erik said, beginning to walk away. But he wasn't the only smart one. Hiccup had put the pieces together. No matter how bizarre it sounded, somehow he knew.

"You're her son aren't you?" Hiccup asked, although he was already 99% sure.

"She gave birth to me," Erik admitted. "As for being a mother… she probably did a better job with you." That got Hiccup angry.

"Well if you're so deprived of love, why don't you come over and let me give you a big bear hug," Hiccup spat. Erik simply half smiled.

"So, she wasn't a mother to you too?" he asked. Hiccup realized he'd just been outsmarted by, well… his little brother. Or big brother, but Erik looked younger.

"So, now what are your plans brother?" Hiccup asked.

* * *

 **I really am enjoying the character of Erik. Tell me what you think of him. Like, don't like?**

 **Next time… Hiccup and Erik both face their futures, and their uncertain relationship. Erik struggles with his place, and the riders launch their own rescue mission.**

 **You guys are amazing. R &R.**

 **NightLightning21**


	33. Journey

Journey

"I am so going to kill that night fury riding, future chief, stubborn, annoyingly optimistic, and totally cute dragon rider," Astrid hissed. Wait, what did she just say? Did she just say Hiccup was cute? Love really did change people.

"Calm down Astrid," Fishlegs said, knowing that he most definitely should not bring up what she just said. He thanked Thor it was just them, and not the rest of the riders. He and Astrid had flown ahead, to scope out the island. The other riders were a couple miles behind.

"Why is Hiccup being so stupid?" Astrid continued to lament to herself. Stormfly growled in sympathy. Astrid patted her on the back.

"There it is," Fishlegs called out, hovering in one spot. When Astrid caught up to him, he was praising Meatlug for her work.

"Who's the smartest, cutest dragon in the entire archipelago?" Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, you found the island all by yourself-"

"You know we had a map right?" Astrid interrupted.

"Shh, let her have this moment." Astrid sighed, scoping out the landscape. Sheer cliff walls seemed to surround the island, almost closing it in. Dense forest was what made up the island's mass.

Astrid flew down, landing just on the other side of one of the cliffs. She hopped off Stormfly, cautiously looking around. So far, everything seemed safe. Then a stream of fire slammed into a rock, just feet away from her. Never mind.

Erik didn't know what to do. The fiercest battle he'd ever fought was currently raging on in his brain.

"What makes you think I'll do anything to you?" he asked, trying to sound confident. His voice shook, and was watery when he spoke. Both of the siblings could tell.

"Oh I don't know. I'm tied up, you took my dragon, oh, and you're a dragon hunter," Hiccup hissed. Erik blinked. His older brother had some spirit.

"Well, you're a threat to my business. You really expect me to let you go?" Hiccup was about to answer, when Erik held up his hand.

"That was a rhetorical question," he said. He was still dodging the whole mother topic. Hiccup unfortunately, was not.

"So, I have a brother," Hiccup stated.

"You really are slow," Erik muttered.

"Am not," Hiccup defended. "But it's a lot to take in."

"Especially when your brother is holding you hostage, and is a complete psycho murderer," Hiccup said, his tone becoming accusing. Much to Erik's surprise, the comment stung. He'd been called cruel before. Yet, it had never bothered him.

Erik thought things through. Some part of him didn't want to kill Hiccup. Maybe, it was his conscience, that he'd learned to bury so many years ago. He mentally shook himself. He just needed to bury his conscience once again.

Erik leaned forward, removing Hiccup's artificial leg.

"Hey!" Hiccup grabbed, but Erik was too quick.

"This will assure that you can't escape on foot. And you can't fly your night fury." Hiccup had a murderous look in his eyes. Erik had to grin slightly. He turned to walk away, hearing Hiccup yelling at his back.

"Wait! You don't have to be like this. Trust me Erik. This isn't who you are."

 _Could he not be more cliche?_ Erik wondered. It would take a lot more than that when Erik changed. The word _when_ stopped Erik in his tracks. It was _when_. Not _if_.

"I'm losing it," Erik muttered, walking to his tent.

Astrid could feel the scorching heat from the fire. She turned, and saw just a glimpse of her assailant. Then, Stormfly threw her to the ground, as another blast of fire exploded around them. Astrid jumped up, seeing a dragon circling overhead. On closer inspection, it was a titan wing monstrous nightmare. Wonderful. Stormfly shot her own fire up, forcing the nightmare to go up.

Fishlegs and Meatlug slammed into the dragon, knocking it several feet away. This gave Astrid and Stormfly to become airborne as well. The monstrous nightmare was much bigger, but it was faced with two foes. It lunged at Stormfly, it's whole body igniting. Stormfly dodged, swooping lower.

But the dragon's tail had caught Fishlegs and Meatlug, and they fell into the forest. Stormfly unleashed a wave of spikes, trying to strike down their foe. The monstrous nightmare didn't flinch. It flew forward, trying to intimidate both rider and dragon. Astrid nudged Stormfly, signaling the nadder to go into the forest. Hopefully, Stormfly's maneuverability would outpace the monstrous nightmare's.

Astrid ducked another branch, gasping in pain as it scraped her arm. She ducked even lower, trying to avoid getting killed. Stormfly was whizzing through the forest, the greenery just a blur.

Suddenly, Astrid felt herself tip over her saddle, and go flying downwards, Stormfly had jerked to a stop when she saw the towering cliff rising above them. Unfortunately, Astrid was still moving. She landed hard on the ground, and lay there winded. The monstrous nightmare shot another round of fire, this one catching Stormfly in the back. She fell, barely managing to slow down her fall. Astrid flinched in sympathy as her dragon thudded to the ground.

But the nightmare wasn't done yet. It approached Astrid, glaring at her. Astrid stared back, backing up against the cliff face. Triumph gleamed in the nightmare's eyes. But it was unaware that the fight wasn't over. Astrid suddenly jumped up, using the cliff to propel herself upwards.

She grabbed the nightmare's horns, sharply tugging them to the right. It was the oldest trick in the book. The titan instantly fell to the ground, purring like a kitten. It was so strange how they did that. Astrid blew out a breath, and adjusted her position. The dragon turned to look at her, all the rage gone from it's eyes. On closer inspection, Astrid could see he was a boy.

"Hey there," she said, scratching his neck. The dragon wiggled, then turned his eyes to her. There was an urgency that could not be mistaken. This dragon knew something. Stormfly was up and walking, and Astrid whistled, signaling the nadder to follow.

"Let's go."

 **I'm thinking about wrapping this story within the next 6 or 7 chapters. I would like to move on to other projects. But this has been so much fun to write.**

 **Next time… Erik struggles between his current life, and the one he wants to have. Astrid works with the dragons to try and take down the dragon hunters.**

 **You guys are amazing**

 **NightLightning21**


	34. Tick Tick Tick

Tick Tick Tick

Astrid quickly learned that flying a monstrous nightmare was harder than it looked. Although she would never admit it, she kind of admired Snotlout for managing with Hookfang for so long. The dragon, Blaze was his name, sped through the trees, like he was trying to kill Astrid. Stormfly trailed along behind, clearly not happy about her owner's change in dragons.

"Come on," Astrid gritted out, pulling on Blaze's horns. The black and red dragon veered sharply to the right, almost crashing them into a large boulder. Astrid gasped, and braced herself for the blow. But it never came. At the last possible moment, Blaze stopped, landing sharply, his claws making gouges in the dirt.

"Whew," Astrid exhaled, breathing heavily. She had to make this work. She'd already sent a terrible terror message back to Berk, via Sneaky, who had come along for the ride. Of course, Astrid had no idea the blue terrible terror was following her. Hence the namesake. Stormfly landed beside her, tipping her head in an "I told you so" look.

"Yeah yeah, I get it," Astrid grumbled, still recovering from her near death incident. "Now, we need to go and save Hiccup." She climbed back on Blaze, determined to see where he wanted to take her. He allowed her to climb on, then took off like a rocket.

Erik stared at his prisoner, at the other side of the camp. Hiccup was drawing pictures in the sirt, clearly miserable. Erik expected to feel some sort of joy. Anything other than this overwhelming sense of regret.

"Erik?" one of his guard said, coming into his tent. Even though his heart wasn't in it, Erik was still the leader of the dragon hunters. It didn't feel as satisfactory as it once had.

"What?" he asked sharply. He glared at his guard, trying to keep his cool.

"There's been a report of an intruder on the island." Erik fought back the temptation to roll his eyes.

"Why exactly are you telling me this?" he asked, quite annoyed.

"Because, you might want to come along to capture her."

Hiccup drew absentmindedly in the dirt, his eyes blurring his picture. It was a battle axe. It was Astrid's battle axe to be specific. He scanned the camp, trying to pick up small details that might help him in the future.

Suddenly, Erik stormed out of his tent, followed by a pale looking guard. He crossed the camp, making a beeline for Hiccup. There was a grim look in his eyes.

"Get him out of there," Erik instructed the guard. The guard nodded, stepping forward, and releasing Hiccup. Hiccup rubbed at his wrist, flexing his fingers.

"Comfy?" Erik asked, obviously impatient. Hiccup stared up at his little brother.

"Yeah, a blanket and a sheepskin rug would make things more homey." he shot back.

"Well, lucky for you, you won't be spending time there for a while." Erik spun around, heading towards the entrance to the camp.

"Get him his leg," Erik called out, walking swiftly away.

Astrid was getting quite tired of waiting in a tree. She shifted, as yet another branch jabbed her in the thigh. The riders should be getting her any minute now. At least, they'd better be. Astrid glanced over at Blaze, awkwardly perched in a tree. It really did look out of place. He had shown her the hunter's camp, where's she'd surveyed for maybe half an hour. She'd seen Hiccup. She could've stared at him for an eternity. If his life wasn't on the line, she might have. He was alive, and he was okay. She'd seen him arguing with another young man, and had decided that was when she should go.

"Hello?" Astrid's head jerked up, as she recognized Tuffnut's voice.

"Be quiet," Snotlout hissed.

"What? Why should we be quiet? We're trying to find Astrid remember," Tuffnut said, sounding like he was practically shouting the words. Sneaky led the riders into the clearing that Astrid had selected. They all landed, and hopped off their dragons. Astrid was right above them. And she was seriously annoyed. She judged her timing, and leapt out, aiming for a certain pain-in-the-butt Thorston twin.

As usual, her aim was spot on. She smashed into Tuffnut, knocking him to the ground. Ruffnut burst out laughing, pointing at her brother.

"Look at that. Tuffnut did find her." Astrid rose from the knocked down thorston twin, glaring at the riders.

"What part of no noise did you fishheads not understand?" she snapped. The riders looked at her, terror in their eyes.

"What?" she asked. Fishlegs pointed upward, very slowly raising his arm. Astrid looked up, seeing what was freaking everyone out. Blaze was still in the tree, looking down at the riders.

"It's okay. He's with me," she explained. They all nodded, although there was still fear.

"We got your message," Fishlegs said, holding up a piece of paper. "Where's Hiccup?" Astrid hesitated for a second. She wasn't quite sure how to explain where Hiccup was.

"He's well… he's been taken prisoner. By the new dragon hunter leader." Except for Tuffnut, who was still lying on the ground, the riders all gasped in shock.

"Really?" Snotlout asked. Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Yes. It's not like I would make this stuff up. And we need to rescue him as soon as possible." Blaze half flew, half fell out of the tree, coming to stand beside Astrid.

"This is Blaze. He showed me where the camp was. And Hiccup was there too. He's tied up, and is being watched by a guard. But, I think there still might be a way to free him. We'll need a lot of dragons to do it though."

"Oh I'm sure that won't be necessary. I mean after all, your plan would be useless if Hiccup wasn't in his usual spot." Astrid whipped around, to see Hiccup, painfully in the hold of three guards. The leader was speaking, addressing her calmly, and smoothly.

"I mean, what a grand waste of time." He snapped his fingers, and dozens of men came out from hiding, all of them tough, and armed to the teeth. The riders were already preparing for battle, standing close to their dragons.

"How convenient. We brought the battle right to you," Erik said, smiling.

 **So, there will be a big battle, then the redemption mini arc. And then this story will be done.**

 **Next time… The battle between hunter and rider unfolds, leaving everyone fighting for their lives.**


	35. BOOM

BOOM

There was a moment of calm, before chaos broke out. Blaze lunged at the hunters, releasing a long stream of fire. Hiccup took this time to break free. The guards' attention had lapsed while the nightmare attacked, leaving Hiccup with precious time. He kicked out, and used his smaller stature to slip between the three burly men. They grabbed for him, but he was already several feet away.

"Astrid!" Hiccup called out, dodging another attack. She swung her axe into the thigh of one of the hunters, leaving him to hobble away. She leaped upwards, landing heavily on one of the hunters, leaving his gasping on the ground.

"Hiccup," she said, finally making it over to him. "We have to beat them quickly," Astrid said, swinging at a hunter that got too close. Hiccup nodded in agreement.

"We have to use the dragons. Where's Stormfly?" Astrid pointed to where the nadder was flinging spikes at hunters from the air.

"Here, take this," Astrid said, thrusting a sword at him. Hiccup grabbed it a moment too late. He felt a brutal blow force his body to the ground, and pushing his face into the dirt. He struggled viciously, trying to fend off his attacker. But it was hopeless. His attacker had to weigh at least 300 pounds.

"Hello dragon rider," the hunter hissed, slamming his elbow into Hiccup's back. Hiccup gasped, as the air was driven from his body. He could see the forest fading… his chest heaving for breath. He gasped a little longer, before going limp on the forest floor.

* * *

Toothless gripped at the cage with his teeth, wrenching at the bars. He only succeeded in making his mouth bleed. He'd heard Hiccup's cry of pain even from where he was, and was trying desperately to get out. He growled, forcing one of his paws through the bars. He tried to claw his way out, but the bars were unbreakable.

The sound of scraping alerted him that another dragon was moving in their cage. Toothless glanced up, and saw the skrill was also trying to break free.

 _You heard Hiccup as well?_ Toothless asked. Nightwhisper nodded, clawing at his cage. Toothless studied his cage harder, searching for a weakness. Then, he saw it. The key lock. It would be impossible to fire at from inside but… An idea popped into the night fury's head.

 _Stay back_ , Toothless commanded. Nightwhisper backed up in his cage. Toothless narrowed his eyes, judging his target. He only got one chance at this. He aimed at the center of the key hole, and fire once. His plasma blast ripped at the lock, almost destroying it. He'd found the weakness of the cage. It would just take teamwork to get them open.

Nightwhisper shoved at the door, and it gave way, letting the skrill out free. He shot up into the sky, disappearing. Toothless growled softly. But before he could begin to doubt Nightwhisper, a lightning bolt slammed into his keyhole, forcing open the door. Toothless broke free with a roar, shooting up into the sky. But something made him pause. He heard the sounds of battle, and it sounded like the riders needed help.

 _Nightwhisper! We need to get the other dragons out!_ Nightwhisper turned around, and immediately started blasting cages. Toothless did the same, freeing the dozens of trapped dragons. Nightwhisper tried rounding the dragons up to go to the riders, but for the most part, they didn't listen.

Toothless was beginning to panic. His master was in real danger. He let loose a ear shattering roar, firing a light blue plasma blast in the air. Toothless looked at his back in surprise. It was slightly glowing a neon blue. He watched as it faded again. But it was enough. The dragons followed him as he went back to the battle.

* * *

Astrid gasped as her right leg was cut. She stumbled to the ground, pressing her fingers to the wound. Stormfly tried to reach her, but the nadder was being forced back by hunters. A hunter approached Astrid, ready to end everything. He swung down with his sword, just as Astrid rolled. The sword actually cut some of her hair, but missed her flesh by just inches. She continued rolling, before jumping upwards. She could still fight. The cut was long and shallow, but not really serious.

"Help!" Astrid looked around to see Snotlout surrounded by seven hunters. He had a mace, but the odds of him making it out alive… not good. Astrid raced over, picking up a discarded sword on her way. She thrust once, and a hunter crumpled to her feet. But then the rest turned on her. She felt another stinging cut on her torso, as she didn't quite dodge a sword blow. Snotlout brought his mace down on one hunter's head, who fell against a nearby tree. Astrid swung her sword skillfully, taking down hunter after hunter.

But whenever she struck one, another just seemed to take their place. And she was getting injured as well. She gasped as a mace spike gouged her arm.

"Astrid!" Hiccup yelled, throwing his sword above her head. It plowed right into a hunter, preparing to strike a surprise attack. Astrid looked back at Hiccup, whose eyes were wide with horror. With the three of them, they could somewhat defend themselves, but what they really needed were dragons.

* * *

Hiccup glanced around the battlefield, desperation rising in him. Barf and Belch were being backed up against the cliff, simply overwhelmed. Meatlug was out of shots, and she was protecting Fishlegs with her body. But not even a gronkle could take so many blows, and she was weakening fast. Hookfang's fire was quickly running out, as he kept torching hunters. He turned to talk to Astrid, but realized she was gone. He heard her cry out, which made his blood chill. Snotlout pointed to where the love of his life was currently struggling in Erik's arms. He flipped her over, more powerful than the slim blonde.

"ASTRID!" Hiccup yelled, springing across the grass. He saw red, and almost ran his half brother over. But Erik was too quick, and grabbed Astrid again, pressing his sword to her throat.

"Please, I'll do anything," Hiccup pleaded. Astrid shook her head, gasping at the sword bit into her throat. Erik looked regretful, like he didn't want to do it. But, then his features hardened, and he prepared to slit her throat.

A purple blast came from overhead, knocking Erik clear across the field. Hiccup looked up, and saw the dozens of dragons streaking across the sky. Toothless was leading them, unleashing a fury of attacks on the hunters.

The dragons were here.

 **Whew, that was really fun to write. Sorry about the delay**

 **Next time… As the battle rages, Hiccup realizes the potential in Erik, and decides to try and help his half brother.**

 **You guys are amazing. R &R**

 **NightLightning21**


	36. Never Turn Your Back to a Hunter

Never Turn Your Back to a Hunter

If it hadn't been for Erik, the hunters would have turned tail and ran. But their fear of his wrath kept them fighting. The dragons began wreaking havoc, blasts of fire illuminating the battlefield in orange.

"We've got em outnumbered," Hiccup yelled, fending off another hunter with his sword. Astrid stood next to him, just waiting for the next attack. And while they came, it was noticeable that the hunters were weakening. What they didn't except was a retreat. One moment Hiccup was paired with Toothless, singling out hunters, the next, it was like they had disappeared. The remaining men seemed to just melt into the bushes, slipping quietly away from the battleground. Hiccup glanced wildly around, the adrenaline from the battle still coursing through his veins.

He whirled around at the touch on his shoulder, bringing his sword up in a defensive posture.

"Relax Hiccup," Astrid said, ducking away. "It's just me." Hiccup let the sword fall the the ground, taking a deep breath.

"Are they all gone?" he asked, looking around the clearing.

"Yeah I think so. I think Erik just decided to cut his losses. But he's not gone. At least not forever," she muttered.

"I didn't expect as much," Hiccup replied, heading over to join the other riders on the far side of the clearing.

"Is anybody seriously hurt?' he asked, leadership skills kicking in.

"My arm!" Snotlout screamed, apparently just noticing the gash just now.

"Did you seriously just see that?" Astrid asked, in a disbelieving voice.

"Well, maybe I was too busy being a hero to notice," Snotlout shot back. Astrid just rolled her eyes.

"Ugg, Fishlegs, can you treat him?" Hiccup asked. Fishlegs sighed, and retrieved a large bandage.

"Fine, come on Snotlout," he said, in a less than enthusiastic voice.

"Anyone else?" Hiccup asked.

"Hey that's not fair," Tuffnut protested.

"What's wrong Tuff?" Hiccup asked in a weary voice. He was exhausted from the battle, and not in the mood for more antics from the twins. Unfortunately, tact wasn't exactly bred into the Thorston twins.

"How come Snotlout got a cool injury?" Ruffnut asked, continuing her brother's complaint. "I mean, we were twice as reckless as that wimp over there."

"You're lucky you're the girl," Snotlout called out.

"Guys, I really don't have the energy to deal with petty complaints," Hiccup said wearily.

"But, why did Snotlout get the cool scar?' Tuffnut asked, relentless in his quest. "Why can't we?"

"If you want a scar Tuffnut, I'm sure I can arrange that," Astrid snapped, shoving the twin away from Hiccup. Fishlegs finished wrapping Snotlout's arm, and the two riders came across the clearing.

"Well, Snotlout's going to be okay," Fishlegs reported. "Just a scar is all." Apparently he hadn't heard the conversation before. Hiccup groaned, and buried his face in his hands, as Tuffnut started on his rant again.

Hiccup was about to tell him to be quiet, but Nightwhisper beat him to it. The dragon let out a roar of warning, just a second before green tipped arrows streaked across the clearing. The trained dragons were used to this, and quickly dodged the toxic arrows. Two of the arrows hit a couple of wild dragons, making them collapse onto the forest floor.

The riders also had plenty of experience with being shot at, and were on the ground in no time. Hiccup risked a glance upwards, add saw the source of the shots. He could see what looked like countless rows of hunters, approaching from the hill. He exchanged a glance with Astrid. Not again.

* * *

Astrid was already thinking of battle plans in her head. Their greatest strength might just be their greatest weakness as well. The dragons provided massive support in a fight, but they weren't trained.

"Oh Thor," she heard Fishlegs exclaim. "How are we going to beat that many hunters all at once?" he asked, his voice rising even higher. Hiccup was also trying to work out a plan, his gaze switching from the hunters to the dragons.

A memory implanted itself in Astrid's mind. The words follow the leader kept repeating inside her racing brain. She remembered how they had taken on the Screaming death, how the wild dragons had worked together. They hadn't been trained. But they had relied on the trained dragons for guidance. Maybe these dragons would do the same.

"Hiccup, what if we-"

"Led the wild dragons with the trained ones," they both said in sync. Astrid couldn't stop the small grin from spreading across her face.

"Aww, you two make the cutest couple," Fishlegs commented. Astrid turned to face him, her eyes narrowing.

"I mean… how efficient of you two," Fishlegs said, flustered.

"Riders, to your dragons," Hiccup commanded, running out into the clearing. He hopped on Toothless, and took to the sky. Astrid was right behind him, taking a running leap into her saddle, and shot into the sky on her nadder.

"Okay Stormfly. Let's show these dragons how it's done." Stormfly gave her the equivalent of a nod, shooting towards the approaching hunters. She curved her tail around, sending a sharp rain of spines towards the hunters near a tree. A few hunters were punctured by the spikes, but a majority of them did their job, slicing through the wood of the tree. The collapsing trunk caused the hunters to flee, ruining their carefully put together lines. The other three nadders followed, cascading spines over the hunters' ranks.

Meanwhile, Snotlout led the nightmares into a frontal attack, going after the artillery. However, one dragon was netted down, while destroying a catapult. Astrid urged Stormfly over, where a couple of sharp spines freed the dragon enough so it could escape.

She then rushed over to help Fishlegs stop the hunters from spreading. A quick fire blast sent a small group hunters fleeing back to their comrades. Fishlegs got a bit too close though, and Meatlug was quickly being pulled back by a green chain. Astrid gasped as Fishlegs was knocked off his dragon, into the arms of the hunters.

* * *

Toothless sped across the clearing, grabbing Fishlegs with his paws just before he sit the ground.

"Good boy," Hiccup called, as Toothless deposited Fishlegs safely on the ground. "Now try to free Meatlug." Toothless fired a plasma blast, but the chain didn't budge.

"It's dragon proof," Hiccup said, as they flew over the gronkle. "We have to get her free somehow." His gaze landed on the hunters who were pulling the chain towards them.

"Blast em bud," he yelled, nudging the dragon in the direction of the hunters. Toothless fired with remarkable accuracy, leaving hunters running from the chain. Meatlug shook the chain from her tail, before flying over to Fishlegs.

A dragon call made Hiccup turn around, just to see Stormfly fall to the ground. He could see the hunter arrow poking out from her side. Astrid tumbled off, and right into Erik.

But before either one of them could react, a fire blast sent the two of them over a partially hidden cliff, straight into a plunging canyon.

"ASTRID!"

* * *

 **Sorry for the delay in updating. Been busy lately, and working on other projects. And sorry for not getting to Hiccup realizing Erik's potential. I realized it would come better in the next chapter.**

 **Next time… Erik struggles between his instincts, and his wants, with the help of a familiar face…**

 **You guys are amazing**

 **R &R**

 **NightLightning21**


	37. Repressing Instincts is Hard

Repressing Instincts is Hard

Astrid's terror was overwhelming to say the least. She had a brief glimpse of Erik above her, before her head hit a rock that was jutting out, and everything went dark.

* * *

Erik could almost sense the ground rushing up to meet him. And yet, there were still several feet to fall before his imminent death. The fall seemed to take hours. Time was practically at a standstill. He just barely managed to swerve to avoid a rock ledge jutting out from the side of the canyon.

In a last ditch effort, he grabbed it with his hand. He winced as the rough rock dug into his palm. In the next second he had a choice. Astrid was still falling, unconscious due to her head injury.

Acting by instinct, his other arm shot out, and grabbed her around the waist. He gasped in pain as the skin on his palm seemed to split in two due to the extra weight. He looked both up and down. There was still a good twelve more feet to fall. If he moved at all, he would be risking losing his grip.

"Think Grimborn, think," he commanded himself. He saw what appeared to be Hiccup standing over the edge. Loose grit fell on his face as Hiccup moved, making him lose his grip just the tiniest bit.

"Hiccup! Stop moving!" he yelled, praying the stubborn dragon rider would listen.

"What did you do to her?" Hiccup demanded, kneeling over the edge. Rocks showered down again, loosening his grip on the ledge.

"Hiccup I'm being serious!" Erik yelled, feeling his hand slide even more. He couldn't go on like this much longer. He may have been able to hang by one hand with just his weight, but with Astrid and the fact that his grip was slipping, most definitely not.

"Everybody stay back," Hiccup commanded the others. "Let me deal with this."

 _Deal with what?_ Erik screamed in his head. He glanced up again.

"Hiccup back up!" Erik yelled again.

"Is she okay?" Hiccup demanded again. "What did you do?" Erik wanted to scream that he did absolutely nothing.

"Hiccup she's okay. But you need to back off." Hiccup leaned out even further, trying to see Astrid. But in the process, some loose chunks of rock tumbled straight down to Erik and Astrid. One hit Erik square in the arm, and he felt his grip slip completely. They were free falling to the bottom.

* * *

Today was just a day of firsts for Erik. Within the last second of their descent, he wrapped his own body around Astrid's, preparing to take the blow for himself. There was no way she would survive another blow. He tightened his grip on her, and closed his eyes.

His side was the first to hit the ground, landing with a sickening thud on the ground. Every bit of breath was driven from his body. His bones felt like they were all snapping at once, and his skin felt like it was being ripped apart. It probably was. They skidded for about a foot, before coming to a stop. Not that Erik knew. He was already unconscious.

* * *

Hiccup saw the cloud of dust erupt from Erik and Astrid's landing. He exchanged a glance with the other riders, before starting to scramble down the cliff. Toothless gave a worried growl, knowing that he couldn't fit down there.

Once he landed safely, he was running over to the pair. The first thing he noticed was their position. Astrid didn't appear to have even been hurt from the fall. The only injury was the knock to her head. Erik had his arms around the rider, protecting her from the fall.

"They're both alive!" he called out the everyone above. "But Erik won't be for long if we don't do something." As he spoke,Astrid began to stir slightly.

"Can we lift them out?" Fishlegs asked.

"Go to Toothless' saddle bag. There should be a blanket and rope in the left one." Fishlegs nodded, hurrying over to the night fury. He paused to shoot the dragon hunters a worried glance, before grabbing the supplies. The hunters were currently being carefully watched by the dragons, not daring to move at all.

"Found it!" he called out, running back and tossing the items down to Hiccup.

"Can you get Meatlug?" Hiccup asked, gently rolling Astrid onto the blanket. In Hiccup's mind, he wasn't above leaving Erik here. The darker side of him was revealing itself, just like it had with Elliot. Hiccup squashed the urge. For now.

* * *

Astrid could feel a dull ache seemingly everywhere in her body. And moving just made it worse. She soon abandoned her attempts at getting up. She'd been confined to her bed for a week already, and was already going crazy. Hiccup was being very supportive, but he also had other things to do.

There was one thing that Astrid couldn't piece together. She had no idea why she wasn't hurt even more badly. Astrid was about to go back to sleep, when she heard voices outside. It was Snotlout and Hiccup.

"We need to make sure he won't hurt anyone else." That was Hiccup.

"Hiccup we can't just throw him in jail! It will be ages until he's completely healed."

"Yeah, and what do you think he'll do once he's healed? He'll plan some sort of attack that will kill us all!"

"Hiccup look, I understand you feel anger towards Erik. We all do. But he saved Astrid's life. That has to count for something."

"I don't care," Hiccup said, his voice more of a growl than anything else. "I am in charge here. And I say that as soon as possible, Erik goes to the prison. I won't let him hurt anyone else." Astrid heard Snotlout make another attempt, Hiccup cut him off, and the sound of someone stomping away.

She may have been injured physically, but Astrid's mind was as sharp as ever. She wasn't sure how, but she knew Erik had somehow saved her, and that Hiccup was still going to throw him in prison. She didn't even hesitate to spring out of bed, and secretly follow Hiccup.

Confusion swept through her as Hiccup began walking towards the dragon cages. _He didn't_ , she silently begged. She slipped around a corner, and saw Hiccup staring into one of the cages. Astrid managed to slip behind him as he turned around again, and saw what was in the cage. Or rather, who.

She knew the second she looked it was who she thought it was. She couldn't hold back her gasp of surprise, pain, and sympathy.

"I cannot believe you!"

* * *

 **Hello again everyone. So, I know Hiccup may seem a little ooc, but that's for a reason. He was also out of character when he killed Elliot, and I've had people say that they wanted a confrontation with Hiccup's darker side. Plus, Hiccup's very protective of Astrid and the riders. It's not unrealistic that he would be unfairly cruel to Erik.**

 **Next time… Astrid confronts Hiccup about his treatment about Erik. Astrid brings up old wounds. Meanwhile familiar face shows up to help guide Erik.**

 **I realize I didn't get to that familiar face in this chapter. So, really sorry about that. You guys are amazing.**

 **R &R**

 **NightLightning21**


	38. Lashing Out

Lashing Out

Astrid glared at Hiccup, every muscle in her body tensing.

"Astrid please," Hiccup said, stepping away from the cage. "I can explain."

"How in the name of Thor could you explain this?" Astrid demanded. "Your own brother is in there!"

"He's not my brother," Hiccup responded instantly. "Look, I'm doing this for all of us."

"What are you talking about?" Astrid demanded, growing angrier by the second. "Erik is barely alive! He's not threatening to a _mouse_ let alone to us."

"This is for precaution," Hiccup said, his gaze unforgiving. Astrid narrowed her eyes, sensing something that was off. There was another reason Hiccup was doing this.

"Hiccup, this isn't you," Astrid tried to reason. "You're supposed to be merciful. Doing this makes you as bad as he is."

"See? You even admit it," Hiccup shot back. "He's a danger to us all. That's why this is necessary."

"You seem to be forgetting he saved my life. I could've and would've died if he hadn't helped me. That was his choice," Astrid spit out.

"You're forgetting that he's the one who put your life at stake in the first place," HIccup retorted. "You have to trust me."

"Trust you?" Astrid asked in disbelief. "How could I possibly trust you right now? You just imprisoned your brother, who is barely alive in a dragon cage!" She moved towards the cage, but Hiccup blocked her.

"Get out of my way," she said, trying to push past.

"No," Hiccup said firmly. "I'm in charge here. And what I say goes." Astrid felt a wave of hurt wash over her. At the same time, disappointment and fear pierced her like an arrow.

"You're not the Hiccup I know. And you're the furthest thing from the one I love." With that, Astrid stomped off, leaving Hiccup with his thoughts.

* * *

 _You're doing the right thing_ ," Hiccup told himself for the hundredth time. He ran his hands through his hair, replaying that conversation with Astrid. Each and every one of her words had pierced his heart.

But he had to hold strong. He couldn't let yet another bad guy escape. He couldn't afford to give Erik a second chance. Not when the people who he loved were at stake.

 _You did with Daguar_ ," said a small voice in his head. He almost immediately shook it out. His fear was blocking out his common sense. He felt like a cornered animal, lashing out at the person who he blamed. Erik. Hiccup glanced at the cage, seeing Erik huddled in it.

" _He saved my life_ ," said Astrid's voice in his head.

"But it's his fault your life was ever at stake," Hiccup practically hissed. He ran his hands through his hair again, and headed back down the island.

He headed for the houses, just wanting to get away for a while. But, the riders were gathered near his house, and there was no way Hiccup wanted to confront them now.

He was about to go, when he noticed that they seemed to be reaching some final decision. He watched with curiosity as Astrid pointed to Snotlout, before gesturing away from the island.

* * *

They both mounted their dragons, and headed away. Hiccup played with the idea of asking the remaining riders what was going on, but abandoned it. He contemplated what to do for a full two minutes after that. Finally, he decided he needed to be alone for a while, and headed off into the woods.

"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Snotlout asked, flying closer so he could talk to Astrid. She ignored him for a few moments.

"This is our only choice. You weren't with him when I talked to him. He's scared Snotlout. He's lashing out because of anger."

"Wait, so you're not mad at him?" Snotlout asked in confusion.

"Well, I wanna twist his arm until he sees some sense, but I'm more disappointed than angry." Snotlout nodded, then moved slightly away.

"We will help Hiccup. I hate to admit this, but he's a good leader. When he's not wrapped up in you," Snotlout added raising his eyebrow slightly. Astrid gave him a look, but didn't say anything. She knew he was right. That was something she and Hiccup needed to work on. A balance between their romance, and the edge.

* * *

She preoccupied herself with those thoughts as they flew to the island. Anything to keep her thoughts drifting to the looming problem at the time.

"Astrid," Snotlout called out, alerting her to the fact that they had landed on the island. They both hopped off, leading their dragons further into the island.

"Astrid?" came a surprised voice. Astrid turned around, smiling when she saw the person.

"Heather, it's so good to see you."

"It's great to see you too. And you Snotlout," Heather said, already leading them into the village.

"Is Daguar here?" Astrid asked, rather hurriedly. Heather gave her a confused look, but responded "Umm, yes." She looked at both of them. "Can I ask why?"

"It's about Hiccup," Astrid explained as Heather led them to the great hall. "He captured Erik as a prisoner."

"But, that's good right?" Heather asked.

"Yeah, but then Hiccup shoved him into a dragon cage, and is currently waiting for him to die," Snotlout said, looking down at his fingers. Heather raised her eyebrows, and turned to Astrid. Astrid hated the fact that she couldn't deny it. Her lack of response confirmed that Snotlout was correct.

"Really?" Heather asked as they entered the great hall.

"He's lashing out," Astrid explained, still trying to see the good in Hiccup.

"By torturing his own brother?" Heather asked.

"Hiccup doesn't see Erik as his brother. Think of how you felt with Daguar." Heather nodded, accepting Astrid's point.

"Daguar? Astrid and Snotlout are here to see you." Daguar turned around, a welcoming smile on his face.

"Astrid, Snothat, good to see you both. What brings you to Berserker island?"

"I need your help. It's about Hiccup. He's out of control." Astrid took a deep breath, and stared at the Berserker chief.

"We need your help."

* * *

 **Wow, that took a long time. I'm super sorry about that. So, maybe 2 more chapters. Then, a new arc if you guys want it. I already have a plot line.**

 **Next time… Hiccup struggles with inner demons, with a little help from Daguar. However, Daguar might be helping Erik as well.**

 **You guys are amazing R &R**

 **NightLightning21**


	39. Story Update 2

**Hey guys. I'm super sorry about my lack of activity on here. I've had so many other projects, that this kinda got pushed to the side. But, not anymore.**

 **I know some of you feel that Hiccup's behavior is OOC. And I understand you. But, there are two reasons I did this. One, to have Hiccup deal with the consequences of Elliot. And second to have a place to relate to Erik. Please just stick with me as I try to explain.**

 **Mala and Daguar will both be helping Hiccup battle his demons and take down the dragon hunters once and for all.**


	40. Reunion

Reunion

"So, what exactly is this all about?" Daguar asked. "What's wrong with Hiccup?" He leaned forward, trying to get a read on Astrid's emotions. Astrid just gripped her saddle tighter.

"He's spiraling out of control. I think that it's a whole bunch of things coming together at once. He still feels guilt about Elliot." Daguar scratched his chin, looking thoughtful.

"Perhaps I can help my viking brother see some reason," he said.

"Hopefully," Astrid replied, focusing on the ocean ahead. Her thoughts were like a maze. And she didn't know the way through. She was angry. But, at the same time, she wasn't. Hiccup had been pushed into a corner ever since Elliot, and now he had finally lashed out. It wasn't unreasonable to think this may have been his breaking point. Everything and everyone he loved was always being threatened. What he was doing was just-

"Astrid! Look out!" Astrid was jolted out of her thoughts as Stormfly swerved sharply, almost sending her out of her seat. She gasped and ducked as she saw an arrow flying straight towards her.

"Hunters!" she called out. She glanced down, and saw the hunter ship directly below her.

"Stormfly," she warned, as the nadder banked hard to avoid another volley of arrows. Daguar gasped in surprise, as he lost his grip on Stormfly.

"Daguar!" Astrid yelled, as the chief tumbled off her dragon. He was falling straight towards the hunters' ship.

"You go get Daguar," Snotlout called out to her. "I'll hold off the hunters." He and Hookfang swooped down, catching the attention of the hunters.

"Shoot him down!" Hookfang dodged the arrows, and went into higher air. Meanwhile, Astrid and Stormfly shot down, and grabbed Daguar just before he could hit the water. Astrid pulled up hard, and Stormfly just barely skimmed the water, before flying upwards.

Hookfang blasted the ship, catching a part of the sails on fire. The hunters were busy putting out the fire, giving the riders an opportunity to escape.

"Whew," Daguar said, back in his original seat. "That was close."

"Let's go back to the edge."

* * *

Erik sat quietly in his bed, glancing over at Hiccup every few minutes. His half brother was sitting several yards away, apparently deep in thought. Erik could see parts of his mother in the boy. For so long… he'd wanted a brother. Someone who could be his brother in arms. Someone who would be his partner. Instead, he got the life he had now.

The sound of dragons approaching drew his attention to the docks. He could see a lot since he was on a hill. He saw Astrid approaching, with Snotlout, and a newcomer. Hiccup perked up, beginning to walk slowly down the hill. Erik simply turned away. He knew all the attention would be on saving Hiccup. Not that Hiccup needed much saving.

Erik had been around truly evil people his whole life. Hiccup? He didn't even hold a candle. His actions had been out of defense, not out of darkness. If only he could see that. _Why do you even care?_ he asked himself. _It doesn't matter._ But it did. Crazy as it was, Erik could still see a potential future with Hiccup. He knew the rider was confused. Lost. Scared. Maybe he could help him.

* * *

Hiccup met the riders at the docks, recognizing Daguar clinging onto the Stormfly. He half fell off, stumbling over to some nearby bushes. Hiccup raised his eyebrow, fixing Astrid with a questioning look.

"He's used to flying on a gronkle," Astrid said. "And we ran into hunters on the way back."

"Fabulous. Looks like the hunters aren't missing their leader," Hiccup muttered.

"Their leader?" Daguar asked, returning to the small group.

"Yeah, after Viggo was killed, his son took over."

"Son?" Daguar asked. "Elliot's now a zombie?"

"His… other son," Hiccup said, really not feeling like explaining it.

"Wait, I just thought someone else took over for him. Now he has another son?" Luckily for Hiccup, Astrid stepped in.

"Erik is Viggo's son. His mother was also Hiccup's." Daguar's eyes widened.

"Well, that's new. Where is he?"

"Up there," Hiccup said, pointing up the hill.

"Can I see him?" Daguar asked, beginning to head up the hill. He fell in line behind Hiccup and Astrid, leaving Snotlout with the dragons.

They approached the cell, and Daguar peered into the darkness, trying to see his face. Erik turned around, eyes flicking over the group. His eyes landed on Daguar, and they shot completely open.

"Daguar?" he whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Erik?" Daguar answered back. Hiccup glanced at the two, seeing the connection pass between them. Clearly they had a history.

"I haven't seen you since the last signing. What happened?" Daguar asked, still in shock. Erik laughed slightly.

"You mean why did we not come? Or why am I here, locked in a dragon pen?"

"Both?" Daguar said, still shaken.

"Daguar, you know him?" Astrid asked, probably the most aware of the four. Daguar didn't even notice her question, he was too busy staring at Erik.

"You're the leader now?" he asked.

"Well, not anymore," Erik said, gesturing to the walls. Hiccup was still trying to figure out what was going on.

"How do you know Erik?" he asked. Finally, Daguar seemed to notice him.

"I met him and Elliot when I was younger. We… we were… friends. All three of us."

"You and Erik?" Astrid asked in disbelief. "How did you guys meet?"

"It's… it's a long story," Daguar said, looking down. Hiccup began to regain his senses, and took control of the situation.

"Well, obviously we all need to talk. I'll take Daguar to our meeting room. Astrid, would you please get Erik, and meet us there?" Astrid stared at him for a few moments, but obeyed his orders.

"This way," Hiccup said, gesturing towards the meeting hall. "Follow me." Daguar reluctantly tore his gaze from Erik's and followed Hiccup.

"Why are you so… well… shocked," Hiccup asked, as they headed down.

"I never thought I would see him again. It's been years." Daguar suddenly turned, blocking Hiccup's path.

"Look, I know a lot needs to be explained Hiccup. And I understand where you're coming from. But I want to tell you. Erik wasn't always like Viggo. I got to know him when he was younger."

"I'll listen to your explanation," Hiccup promised. "There's a lot that needs to be explained."

* * *

 **Okay, this chapter was a bit more filler than anything. More of Erik's backstory to be revealed next chapter. Also, is anyone not okay with a relationship between Erik and Daguar? Like, a romantic one? Let me know.**

 **Next time… Daguar reveals his own past with Erik, digging up even more mysteries. Erik also tells some of his own history with his parents.**

 **You guys are amazing**

 **R &R**

 **NightLightning21**


	41. Futures

Futures

Hiccup took his seat in the great hall, opposite of Dagur. He stared around, an awkward silence spreading. He felt a wave of relief when Astrid entered with Erik.

He lifted tired eyes up to the two already sitting there.

"Isn't this a pretty picture," Erik muttered. He sat down, not meeting the eyes of Hiccup or Dagur.

"Erik," Dagur said, forcing the dragon hunter to look at him.

"Dagur," Erik replied, in an almost monotone. "Nice to see you again." Dagur quickly concealed the flash of hurt in his eyes.

"Where have you been?" Erik asked after a few seconds. Emotion was beginning to creep back into his voice.

"Viggo threatened war with us if I saw you again," Dagur explained. "He hated our relationship."

"Well, that figures," Erik muttered, bitterness quite present in his tone. Hiccup shifted uncomfortably. This was clearly going to be an emotional conversation. And a private one. A shared look with Astrid confirmed she was feeling the same thing.

"Viggo always wanted his sons to be perfect. No weaknesses. That was what we were taught. Caring about someone meant weakness." Erik shrugged, shame in his eyes.

"It's what thought as well," he admitted. Hiccup awkwardly stood up, halting the conversation.

"Uh, Astrid and I will wait outside," he said. They both got up, heading towards the door.

"You guys talk." The two vikings both stared after the riders, almost waiting for them to go. Hiccup shot yet another uncomfortable at Astrid. His own curiosity had been piqued now. He was most definitely curious about what exactly was going on between Dagur and Erik.

He opened the door, letting Astrid out first.

"Did you ever know anything about that?" she asked.

"About them?" Hiccup asked. "No, Dagur never talked much about his childhood. And when he did, it was generally to insult his father."

"Well, I guess we all have secrets," Astrid commented. "Even them."

"Yeah, the question is how are those secrets gonna affect us."

* * *

Dagur stared at Erik for a few seconds. He heard the door close behind Hiccup and Astrid, and slowly realized he could talk.

"Do you know what happened to Elliot?" he asked. Erik nodded slowly.

"Viggo told me Hiccup killed him." Dagur could sense Erik's hesitation.

"Hey," he said, causing Erik to look up. His eyes had a haunted look to them.

"What happened?" he asked, sitting back down. "After I left?"

"Viggo was even more determined to make us warriors," Erik muttered. "Me and Elliot were hardly even together then. Viggo wanted each of us to become vicious warriors. No weaknesses. That's always what he said. When he died…" Erik trailed off, deep in thought.

"You took over?" Dagur asked, gently. Elliot just nodded.

"What about you?" he asked, eyes becoming more expressive. "You're the chief now."

"When we came back to the island, I became isolated." Dagur shrugged. "I felt defenseless. Like there was nothing I could do. I threw myself into fighting. I became quite bitter. At the same time, I was wrestling with you. I really wanted to see you again. But I didn't understand why."

"Me too," Erik admitted. "But, I could never talk with my father. He already hated that we were friends. To think it might be… Elliot thought the same." Dagur paused for a second, then hesitantly placed a hand on Erik's shoulder. Erik didn't brush him off.

"We both hardened ourselves didn't we," Erik commented.

"Yeah," Dagur agreed. "I didn't know what else to do." Erik simply shrugged.

"It was the easiest thing to do. I didn't really care about anyone. I just wanted to be angry."

"It seems like we're kindred spirits," Dagur said, just a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"Sometimes I wonder how my life would be if I'd grown up with my mother," Erik said wistfully. Dagur cocked his head to the side. When he'd first met Erik, they're fathers had been in a sensitive trade. Erik had stayed on the island for more than a month. In that time, they'd gotten to know each other very well. But, there was one thing that Erik never seemed to want to talk about. And that was his mother. Dagur only knew a little about Erik's first years.

"Tell me about her," Dagur prompted, hoping to show Erik that he could open up. Erik nodded slowly, swallowing hard.

"I remember a few things about her. I've tried my hardest to memorize her face. She was always so kind. She always wanted to help others. I don't ever remember feeling insecure with her. She did her best to care for me."

"How did Viggo find you guys?" Dagur asked, sliding closer to Erik.

"My mother went out to search for injured dragons," Erik said shakily. "Whenever she would find them, she would try to help them. I… I found one of her diaries. The last entry was five days before Viggo found us. She wrote that she had found a dragon trap, with a baby typhoomerang in it. What she didn't realize at first was that she was being watched. By the dragon hunters. She said that she was ambushed, but managed to escape." He stopped suddenly, blinking several times. Dagur cautiously put an arm around Erik.

"It's okay. You don't have to keep talking." Erik took in a shaky breath.

"I want to," he said. "But I don't think I can right now. I just need a little time." Dagur nodded in understanding.

"Take all the time you need. I'll continue working with Hiccup. Are you gonna help?"

"Yes," Erik said, determination set on his face. "I don't want the dragon hunters to survive any longer. That's no longer me. That's Viggo. I've let my father run me for far to long." He brushed hair out of his eyes, already looking stronger, and healthier.

"I'm ready. I know it." Dagur couldn't stop the smile on his face. There just might be hope. Maybe. Maybe this was his future.

"Let's go. We have a lot of work to do."

* * *

 **Erik's backstory will be covered more next chapter. And the rest of the riders will be in the next chapter as well**

 **Next time… With the help of Erik, the riders must develop a plan to wipe out the dragon hunters once and for all.**

 **Quick thing for Hiccup. Please just trust me. Hiccup isn't actually going dark. He's acting on instinct and fear! But, I wanted him to wrestle with the temptations of his life. Think about it, he's always chosen good. But, when his family is threatened, he can become fairly vicious. He ordered Toothless to kill Alvin. I wanted to address that.**

 **You guys are amazing**

 **R &R NightLightning21**


	42. Last Shot

Last Shot

"We have one shot. One to wipe out the dragon riders once and for all. To get our leader back." The hunters all muttered in agreement.

"They cowardly captured Erik! They deserve to be punished."

"What do you plan to do?" one hunter called out from the crowd.

"Good question." He paced slowly in front of the group of hunters.

"Berk has controlled me for far too long! I've been waiting years for this moment. Hunters, it's time to reign once again!" he shouted.

"We will destroy Berk. We will destroy the dragon riders once and for all!"

There was a few seconds of silence, before the entire crowd began cheering.

"How are we going to do it Johann?"

"We will kill every single dragon we encounter! Then, we will destroy the miserable dragon riders! We have been pursued for far too long! Trust me, every single rider will pay for what they have done. Welcome to the new era!"

* * *

"We have one shot. One to wipe out the dragon hunters once and for all," Hiccup announced.

"Is Erik going to help us?" Astrid asked.

"Yes," came the response for Erik himself. "I will do whatever you need to help."

"Wait, seriously?" Snotlout protested. "We're gonna trust the guy who has been our sworn enemy for months? We're just gonna let him walk in here and start helping?"

"Yes," was Hiccup's simple answer. Dagur walked in after Erik, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"If it makes you feel any better Snotlout, I'll watch him for you," Dagur offered. Snotlout grunted, still looking suspicious.

"I understand how you feel Snotlout," Erik said quietly. "I've been a monster to you guys. I wouldn't be at all surprised if you guys killed me on the spot."

Hiccup couldn't help but feel a swell of pride in his chest. He knew that more trouble would come in the future. But maybe, just maybe he could have a brother to face it with.

"We've all made mistakes Erik," he said. "Some of us handle them better than others. I most definitely didn't handle my own correctly. But, actually, watching you has helped me. You showed me that you can always come back. And I solemnly believe that's exactly what you will do." Erik blinked once, twice. He gave Hiccup a small nod.

"How do we know if he's telling the truth?" Tuffnut asked. "What if he's a spy? What if…" he trailed off, trying to think of something worse.

"I think we need to test him," Ruffnut said.

"Ah, perfect," Tuffnut said. "Make him face a pack of angry speed stingers! That will prove his loyalty!"

"Or get him killed," Astrid said, glaring at the twins. "And besides, we would never do that."

"Then perhaps some other kind of test," Tuffnut said, not willing to let this go. "I mean, like, wouldn't it be great if there was some sort of machine that could tell if someone was lying? It would be revolutionary!"

"Oh, I have another idea. What if there was some sort of object that we could use to write for us! So we wouldn't have to actually write on the paper!" Ruffnut suggested.

"They're crazy," Fishlegs muttered. "Imagine a machine that wrote for us. Please, that will never happen."

"Uh guys?" Hiccup said, trying to regain the attention. The twins continued to argue with Fishlegs, completely ignoring Hiccup. Hiccup glanced at Toothless, nodding his head.

Toothless shot a plasma blast above the heads of the trio, the purple glow hitting the wall. The three riders all shrieked, and dove to the ground. Toothless growled in amusement.

"Hey, you almost blew my head off," Tuffnut protested, getting back up.

"Yeah, why'd you miss?" Ruffnut asked. "That would've been so cool!"

"Look guys, we need to focus. The dragon hunters are more dangerous than ever."

"Hiccup's right," Erik said suddenly. His eyes were suddenly bright, an idea clear in his head.

"The dragon hunters are angry. You took their leader. And… I'm pretty sure they have stayed loyal to me. They're going to want to get me back," Erik said.

"What are you saying?" Astrid asked. "That the hunters will be going for revenge?"

"In a way," Erik replied. "I promoted loyalty as leader. They do not follow me out of fear. I knew that wouldn't work for me. They'd been controlled by fear for far too long by Viggo."

"So, how'd you lead them," Snotlout asked, challenge in his eyes. "Did you just brainwash them?"

"It may be hard to believe, but the hunters followed me out of respect. They were always free to walk away if they wanted."

"Oh please," Snotlout muttered. "Come on. Everyone knows that's not how dragon hunters work," he said.

"Snotlout," Hiccup hissed, trying to get him to stop.

"It's okay Hiccup," Erik said. He began going more in detail, explaining to the stubborn rider how the dragon system worked.

Astrid was shocked by the similarity of the two brothers. The way Erik talked, it was similar to Hiccup's flow. The same rising and falling of pitch. The similar annunciations of sounds.

"The hunters will need to meet up," Erik said. "They'll want to gather all of their forces before attacking. I suggest that you begin to prepare for a long battle."

"We have supplies back on Berserker Island," Dagur offered. "Berk is welcome to use some of them."

"I wouldn't Dagur," Erik said. "The hunters are likely to attack the allies of Berk as well."

"Then we have to warn allies of the edge," Hiccup announced. "The defenders of the wing, and the Wingmaidens."

"Do you have a regular trader?" Erik asked.

"Yeah, this loser named Johann," Snotlout said. "He can be a real wimp sometimes."

"Ahem," Hiccup said, interrupting Snotlout.

"Johann is a trader that Berk has been well, trading with for years."

"The edge will need supplies if you guys wish to survive this thing."

"We can get Johann here," Astrid said. "I'm sure he would be willing to come."

"Alright, we'll contact Johann," Hiccup said. "Once we get the supplies we need, we'll start preparing for battle."

"The dragons are capable of defeating the hunters. And so are we. We just need a plan. So, let's start planning," Erik announced.

* * *

 **This could easily be the last arc. But, it could also continue. Comment if you want more.**

 **Next time… The riders call Johann, exposing the edge to one of the most dangerous threats they've ever faced.**

 **You guys are amazing**

 **NightLightning21**


	43. Deception

Deception

"I still don't see why we need Johann here," Snotlout complained. "I mean, the loser is practically capable of nothing."

"Snotlout, Johann is Berk's trader. And he's always been fair and kind in the past. Right now, we need his help."

"That doesn't change the fact that he's a loser," Snotlout shot back.

Hiccup groaned in frustration. He seemed to be making that noise a lot these days.

"Hiccup, it's okay," Astrid reassured him. "Johann will be here in a couple of days. The Wingmaidens will be here tomorrow. And Mala is already here."

"I know," Hiccup said, half leaning into her. "But, I just feel so tense right now. Like there's something I should be doing." He looked at her, praying that she would understand.

"Hiccup, I know what you're going through. Every leader will have that happen to them. When you feel that you cannot do anything for those you care about."

"I just can't help thinking this is my fault," Hiccup said, anguish clear in his eyes.

"Because of Erik?" Astrid asked. "Look, Hiccup. I'm not saying what you did to him was right. But, that doesn't mean you can't come back. You're still you. I have always-"

"Hey lovebirds?" Snotlout interrupted. "You guys done?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry," Hiccup said, moving away from Astrid.

"Hiccup Haddock Ⅲ," came a voice from the doorway. Hiccup looked over to see Mala entering the building.

"Oh, hi Mala. How are things at the island?" he asked.

"My people are uneasy," Mala admitted. "They are worried about the future of our island. Even the Eruptodon is nervous. He can sense our fear."

"That's okay," Hiccup responded. The hunters do pose a serious threat to any of the dragon rider allies. The truth is, I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to cut off contact with us."

"Hiccup, we're not just allies," Mala responded. "I consider us and our people to be friends. And friendship is being there when it's hard. It doesn't mean anything to only be there when it's easy."

"Thank you," Hiccup said, grinning.

"No one is going to abandon," Astrid reassured him. "In case you haven't noticed, the dragon rider are not the same as the dragon hunters."

"I know," Hiccup said, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Maybe we should go on patrol," Astrid suggested, winking at him. Hiccup smiled, absolutely 100% on board with spending some time with Astrid. And they could actually get some work done.

"Okay, everybody here start preparing the food storages. Snotlout and Fishlegs, start reinforcing the catapults. Tuffnut and Ruffnut, you guys can complete out upgrades on the armory."

Before anyone could complain, Hiccup grabbed Astrid and half dragged her outside.

"That was significantly easier than I thought," Astrid remarked once they were outside.

They both screamed when an explosion sounded from inside.

"I think you spoke too soon," Astrid teased, leading the way back into the room.

Hiccup just groaned when he saw the scene inside. The twins had blasted a hole in the ceiling, the force of the explosion sending Fishlegs into a table.

Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Great. Just great."

* * *

"You know, I basically expect these kinds of things to happen," Astrid commented.

"I mean, leaving the twins alone anywhere and there is sure to be trouble."

"Yeah, I just hope Fishlegs can keep things steady until we get back." Hiccup looked at Astrid, worry in his eyes.

"I'm sure the Edge can survive for a few hours," Astrid reassured him. "And besides, we can't really do anything until Johann comes."

"I know," Hiccup said, allowing a smile to touch his face.

"And I'm glad that we can be together right now."

"Me too," Astrid agreed, as they flew over the ocean. "It feels like I never see you anymore."

"Yeah," Hiccup said. "In fact, after we're done here, I think we're going away for a while."

"Wow Hiccup," Astrid teased. "Getting a little carried away there are we?" she asked.

"So you don't want to?" Hiccup asked, a challenge in his dark eyes.

"Go away with you on a romantic getaway?" she asked. "I wouldn't say 'no.' But I certainly expect to be surprised each and every night."

"Challenge accepted," Hiccup answered, narrowing his eyes. Astrid was about to say something, when Stormfly growled to get her attention.

"What is it, girl?" she asked, looking ahead.

"What is that?" Hiccup asked, pointing to a figure in the distance.

"It looks like a ship," Astrid replied, squinting to get a better view.

"You wanna go check it out?" she asked.

"Do we really have any other option?" Hiccup countered, nudging Toothless in the direction of the ship.

"True."

* * *

"It's definitely a ship," Astrid remarked a few minutes later.

"Wait," Hiccup pulled out his telescope.

"I think… I think it's Johann."

"Johann?" Astrid asked. "But, he's not supposed to be here for more than a day."

"Hey, I won't complain," Hiccup answered, flying down to meet the ship.

Johann saw them approaching, and began rapidly waving in their direction.

The two riders landed on the ship, looking around. Astrid hopped off Stormfly to greet Johann.

"Johann, what's going on?" she asked. "I thought you were supposed to get here in two days."

"Well I was planning on it Miss. Astrid," he responded. "But your message sounded urgent. So I left the town I was in to come here right away."

"Well, that's incredibly thoughtful of you Johann," Hiccup said.

"Ah, not a problem Master Hiccup. I was bored there anywhere. In fact, it reminds me of a time when I once went to an island far away from here. It was about six years ago and-"

"Okay Johann," Astrid said, deliberately cutting off the trader. "Why don't you come back with us to the Edge."

"Why, that's a most splendid idea Miss. Astrid. I shall be considerably grateful for your protection."

"Of course Johann," Hiccup replied. "We can really use you help on the Edge. You're supplies and-"

Toothless suddenly reared up, roaring ferociously. Astrid glanced up, and saw what the Night Fury was so upset about. Coming in fast, were the dragon hunters. There seemed to be more than a dozen, all riding on Scorchtails.

"How did they find us?" Astrid asked, already mounting Stormfly. She and Hiccup's gazes met, and they both figured it out.

"Johann," Hiccup said. He looked down at the trader. "You must have been followed here."

"Uh, yes Master Hiccup. Yes, that's it," Johann said, as Hiccup and Astrid flew off.

* * *

 **Updates will hopefully come every Tuesday.**

 **Next time… The Edge continues to prepare for the hunters. Meanwhile, Hiccup and Astrid face a dangerous and deadly battle with the hunters.**

 **You guys are amazing**

 **R &R**

 **NightLightning21**


	44. Gone

Gone

"Okay, seriously guys?" Fishlegs asked. He glared at the twins, almost ready to push them into the water.

"You had one task. One. That was all. And it was to reinforce the catapults. Not to set the forest on fire!" His voice rose considerably. He was about ready to lose it. Even though Snotlout was actually being incredibly helpful, the twins had decided to make up for his lack of mischief. How? By setting part of the forest on fire.

"Snotlout, can you go and put out the fire?" Fishlegs requested, taking a moment to glance over at the other rider.

"Huh? Oh, yeah sure," Snotlout said, jumping up onto Hookfang.

"Come on Hookie! Time to go and clean up yet another mess that the terrible two has made." He glared at the twins, before nudging Hookfang and taking off. Fishlegs watched them go, before turning back to Ruff and Tuff.

"Look guys, I know that Hiccup is generally okay with all of the chaos you cause. But this is serious. The hunters are ready. We need to be prepared as well. And that means we need all the help we can get. Having you two waste precious time, as well as forcing other people to clean up after you could end up destroying the edge."

The twins exchanged a look. He could see the seriousness of the situation sinking in.

"Okay," Tuffnut said, casting his eyes downward. That was his way of apologizing.

"We'll start working on the catapults," Ruffnut promised, already climbing onto Barf.

"Thank you," Fishlegs said, breathing a sigh of relief. The twins and their dragon were soon nothing more than a dot in the sky.

"Well, we got another problem handled Meatlug," he said, giving his dragon an affectionate hug.

"Fishlegs Ingerman?" came the familiar voice of Mala.

"What? Oh, Mala," Fishlegs greeted. "What is it?" he asked, turning his attention to Throk trailing behind.

"Throk was injured," Mala explained, pointing to a bloody gash on his arm.

"Ouch. How did that happen?" Fishlegs asked, taking a closer look.

"It was the dragon hunters," Mala explained. Her words sent icy cold shivers up Fishlegs' spine.

"The hunters?" he confirmed, heart already beginning to race.

"Yes, a small party of them. Throk and I were gathering wood near the shore. We saw a small band on hunters. Three I think."

"Did they attack you?" Fishlegs asked, his panic increasing tenfold.

"No, we attacked them," Mala responded. "We managed to take them out. But Throk was injured." Fishlegs gestured for Mala to follow, as he marched towards the armory.

"Fishlegs?" Mala asked. "Do you know why the hunters are here?" she asked.

"I have a fairly good idea," Fishlegs responded, opening the door to the armory.

"Dagur? Erik?" he called out. The two viking soon appeared, each with an armful of weapons.

"Fishlegs?" Erik asked, setting down his load.

"Erik, there was a small band on hunters here," Fishlegs said, skipping any and all small talk.

"Hunters?" Erik echoed. Worry was beginning to shadow his face.

"Yeah, three of them," Fishlegs said, looking to Mala for confirmation. She nodded in agreement.

"Were they heavily armed?" Erik asked, eyes narrow.

"They all had swords," Throk detailed. "And quivers. Though I didn't see any bows." Erik nodded, taking the information.

"Only three of them… moderately equipped… hostile…" he trailed off, thinking hard.

"What does it mean?" Fishlegs asked, Erik's worry sending his own into chaos.

"It means that the final battle is coming."

* * *

"Why is it that whenever Johann comes to us, he always brings our enemies?" Hiccup asked, rising even higher on Toothless.

"Cause he's flamboyant," Astrid guessed, as she too rose to meet the oncoming hunters.

"Okay, we'll try to split them into two groups," Hiccup said, nudging Toothless to the right.

"Astrid, try and head off the leader. I'll get the others to follow me." Astrid nodded, streaking off on Stormfly. The nadder faced the hunters head on, shooting out a string of fire. Sure enough, the hunters scattered, losing their formerly organized layout. Hiccup nudged Toothless, and they went to the other side. Toothless dive-bombed one hunter, hitting him from the side. The hunter was immediately knocked into the ocean, adnt eh singetail turned to face Toothless. The two dragons looked at each other, before the singetail jerked it's wings, and flew upwards.

"Toothless," Hiccup warned, as another hunter began approaching. Toothless narrowed his eyes, taking a quick glance to his left. The hunter, thinking that he had the advantage, swooped in for a direct attack.

"Uh, Toothless," Hiccup said, forcing himself to still look straight ahead. Toothless growled in acknowledgement. Hiccup could feel the night fury's body tensing as he prepared. At the last possible moment, he suddenly jerked upwards, and safely away from the approaching hunter. Then, he swung around, and barreled straight into the singetail. Hiccup jumped off of Toothless, and onto the back of the signetail. He grabbed the hunter, trying to throw him off the dragon.

He gasped as the hunter grabbed his arm, and he almost fell of the singetail. Toothless half shrieked a warning. Hiccup just barely managed to regain his balance, before the hunter went on the attack again. He barreled into Hiccup's stomach, punching him in the stomach. Hiccup gasped, and pushed the hunter off of him.

"Hiccup!" he heard Astrid's distressed call, as the rider caught wind of the situation. She tried to go and help, but a near missed blast from another hunter kept her busy. Toothless growled in worry, trying to find a way to help Hiccup. He couldn't fire. He might hit Hiccup. The battle was in too close quarters for him to safely shoot a plasma.

Hiccup grappled for position, just barely managing to get on top. He tried to throw the hunter, but felt his body suddenly being twisted away from the dragon.

"You'll never win dragon rider," the hunter snarled, grabbing Hiccup's arm. Hiccup jerked away, icking the hunter away.

"I can sure try," Hiccup growled back, pushing both of them nearer to the edge. Toothless gave another warning growl, as Hiccup began pushing the hunter off the edge.

Suddenly, the singetail jerked forward, sending both rider and hunter over the edge. Toothless immediately dived, but was forced back by the singetail. He growled, firing a plasma blast. The singetail recoiled, and flew off. Toothless looked down, but he was too late.

"Hiccup!" Astrid yelled, nudging Stormfly over to Toothless. But it was too late. And worse than falling in the water, Hiccup and the hunter had fallen directly onto a hunter's ship.

"Hiccup!" Astrid yelled, swooping downwards. But, a whole group of singetails forced her to retreat. She saw a gap, and immediately started a dive. But Johan made her pull up, losing her opportunity.

"Miss Astrid!" Johan called out. Astrid pulled as hard as she could, flying over to Johan's boat.

"What?" she demanded, absolutely furious that she lost her opportunity.

"It's just that, I saw the hunters beginning to leave," he said, pointing to ships retreating in the distance.

"Are you serious?" she asked. "They took Hiccup! I was this close to rescuing him."

"I'm so sorry Miss. Astrid," Johan said, face falling. Astrid sighed, looking at the hunter ships quickly retreating. Hiccup was on there.

"No, it's not your fault," she said, knowing she shouldn't blame him. He couldn't have known.

"But, now the hunters have Hiccup. And the final battle could be at any time."

* * *

 **So, I'm guessing this story is going on hiatus after this arc. There may be more later, I'm really not sure. But you guys have been so amazing to me.**

 **Next time… With Hiccup gone from the edge, the riders scramble to prepare for the final battle. And a leader may rise from an unlikely place.**


	45. Rising Up

Rising Up

Astrid really really didn't know what to do. She'd flown back with Johannin a stunned daze. She knew that immediately going after Hiccup would be a suicide mission. The hunters now had dragons. The riders had no advantages left.

"Miss Astrid, are you alright?" Johan asked, concern lacing his voice.

"I… just… it seems like we're fighting a hopeless battle," Astrid admitted, hating to actual voice her concerns.

"Ah, you're concerned about the hunters. Well, don't be. Even when all hope seems to be lost, well, you can always find another reason to go on."

Generally, Astrid found Johan to be tolerable at most. Often, his long, complicated, and more often than not boring stories, would make him less than appealing to spend time with. But, this time, she really listened to him.

She spent so much time with Hiccup, but she wasn't really spending time with him. She'd been avoiding an emotional aspect of their relationship for a long time. Really, ever since Elliot was killed. And now, it seemed Johan had showed her that.

"We have to get him back," Astrid declared. And she meant it. If it was the last thing she did. Although she really hoped it wasn't.

"Ah, the edge. What a welcome sight," Johan said, sailing smoothly into the docks.

"Johan, dock your boat," Astrid ordered. "Then, meet us in the council room." Johan nodded his confirmation, allowing Astrid to fly off.

He slowly guided his boat into the shallow waters, before opening a hatch on his boat. It led to the bottom, now free of storage. Instead, sat four large singetails. Six hunters also emerged, leading their dragons out.

"You heard her," Johan said, unable to keep the smile off his face. "The dragon riders no longer have the advantage. Now is our one shot to take back our leader. And destroy the dragon riders. Once and for all. The hunters all exchanged glances. Then, one by one, they began laughing. Laughing with glee. Knowing that their plan was foolproof. Singetails were unstoppable against the dragons of the edge.

"When Berk falls. We will rise."

* * *

Erik glanced at the drawings in front of him. The risk factor of this plan was astronomical. But, there was no way the riders would ever let him lead this mission. And quite frankly, he didn't blame them. But, that didn't mean he was allow them to be destroyed. He knew Johan had taken control of the hunters. And he knew what their plan was.

"Erik?" Dagur entered the council room, heading towards his friend.

"Oh, Dagur," Erik greeted. "Did you manage to do it?" he asked.

"It's all done," Dagur reassured him. "But, are you sure it will work?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But it's the only thing I've ever seen that's able to subdue them."

"And, how exactly did you get one?" Dagur asked. Erik laughed, shrugging his shoulders.

"How I got everything. Hunters. But, I knew it was special. So, I kept it."

"Well, looks like it paid off," Dagur said, giving Erik a friendly pat on the back.

"Hopefully," Erik muttered, looking down at the diagrams again.

"I'm sure the riders will understand," Dagur said, looking for a way to reassure the boy who had become like his brother.

"That's not what I'm worried about," Erik muttered, cearly in deep thought.

"The hunters will bring Hiccup. I know that. They'll want him as assurance just in case anything goes wrong. But, my entire plan hinges on us being able to free him. After that, the riders should be able to drive the hunters away for good."

"Well, there's no point in worrying. In fact-"

"Hunters!" came Snotlout's panicked cry. Erik froze, his plan launching into high gear.

"Hurry," he said, leading Dagur away. "We have to go. Otherwise the hunters will obliterate the edge."

"You don't have to make it sound so cynical," Dagur said, as they ran towards the door.

"But it is," Erik said, spinning around to confront Dagur. "The hunters know exactly what they're doing. I'm not lying when I say that they have the ability to destroy the dragon riders. For good. So we have to go now. If we're gonna stop that."

The two vikings continued their run, until Erik was almost pierced by a deadly nadder quill. He froze. Astrid.

"Where do you think you're going?" Astrid demanded, hopping off Stormfly. An explosion sounded behind her, the hunters going on full attack.

"Block them," she ordered Snotlout, before whipping around to Erik.

"This was your doing wasn't it?" she demanded. "This. All of this. You planned it. I should kill you for this," she growled, charging at him. Erik held out, refusing to defend himself. He felt the breath driven out of his lungs as Astrid forced him to the ground.

"I swear, I had nothing to do with this," he pleaded, wishing that Astrid would understand.

"I don't believe you," Astrid said, pressing a knife to his throat. "You suddenly show up. And the hunters are here less than a month later? I have a hard time believing that's a coincidence."

"It's not," Erik gasped out, trying to press himself further into the ground. He could feel the blade pressing into his throat, threatening to soon severe the skin. Astrid pressed harder, ignoring his words.

"I can't trust you," she said, allowing her fear to rise to the surface for a second. She quickly forced it back down.

"I know, I know," Erik said. But now he was getting desperate. He knew his time was slipping away. And with it, the opportunity to take down the hunters.

"But, right now, you have to," Erik gasped out. Astrid was getting fuzzy, the edges of his vision darkening.

"Astrid," Dagur said, trying to reach the rider. "You need to trust him." Astrid looked down at Erik, whose eyes were beginning to close. She removed the knife, and rolled off of him.

"The edge is going to be destroyed," Erik explained, knowing that he needed to go now.

"But, I have a solution."

"And what would that be?" Astrid asked, losing her defensive stance.

"The only thing that can defeat the singetails. The skrill."

* * *

Astrid narrowly dodged yet another fireball being hurled towards her. After letting Erik go, he'd asked that she and the others hold off the hunters. That was a full ten minutes ago. And the riders were tiring. The hunters had called in more reinforcements.

 _I never should have let him go_ , Astrid thought to herself. She and Stormfly tried to dodge the fireballs, only to be forced back by another pair of hunters. She froze, realizing that she was trapped. The hunters were closing in, and there was no way she could fight them all off. She looked around, hoping, praying for something to come.

And it came. From the most unlikely hero. The most unlikely leader. The roar of a skrill pierced the air, shattering the battle. For a couple seconds, it was like someone had hit pause. Everything seemed frozen. Then, someone hit fast forward.

Erik and the skrill shot through the battle, hitting every singetail they could. And each and every singetail that saw them was fleeing with seconds. They bucked off their riders, flying away from the island.

"Get Hiccup," Erik yelled to her, before spinning around to deal another attack. Astrid didn't even hesitate to listen. She swooped down, landing on the deck of a hunter ship. The hunters were now in chaos. The ship wasn't even being guarded. She hopped off, fully intending to get Hiccup before any hunters came. She ran a few feet, coming to the door down to the bottom.

"Stay here," she ordered Stormfly, before half jumping down the hole. She grabbed a lantern, quickly scanning the lower deck.

"Astrid?" came the voice that had haunted her for years. The voice that had comforted her, infuriated her, and made her feel everything.

"Hiccup," she choked out, running over to the young rider.

"Toothless will be happy to see you," she said, unable to stop the tears from streaming down her face.

"Yeah, I bet," Hiccup said, coming to the edge of the cell. "I knew you'd come." And for a second, their eyes met. In that instant, Astrid knew what had happened. She'd met her match. Forever.

"So, do you have a solution for these?" Hiccup asked, gesturing to the dragon-proof lock on the cage. Astrid reached into her pocket, producing a greenish silver key.

"Where'd you?"

"Erik," Astrid responded, quickly inserting the key, and turning. She could've cried with relief when she heard the lock click, and the door swing open. Hiccup ran out, and pulled her into a hug. And Astrid didn't care about being strong anymore. She threw herself at him, needing to feel him. Needing to know he was still there.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered, holding him even tighter.

"I'm glad you found me," Hiccup said, tears of his own sliding down his face. But, all moments like this must come to an end. A thump on the deck above them signaled someone else landing on the ship.

"Someone's here," Hiccup said, leading the way back onto the deck. They both scrambled out, seeing who was there.

"Oh, Johan," Astrid said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I got Hiccup. It's working."

"I'm so glad Miss Astrid," Johan said, pulling a small item out of his pocket. A poison laced dart would do the trick for both of them.

"We need to get back out there," Astrid said, turning her attention away from Johan.

"Let's go," Hiccup said, heading towards Johan. A flash of dark purple caught his eye, and he glanced up to see Erik speeding towards him on a skrill.

"No Hiccup! Johan's a hunter!" The next and last thing Hiccup saw was a flash of white, and the feeling of a needle entering him.

* * *

 **Epilogue next time. Then hiatus for this story. Who knows when it might come back.**

 **Next time… read to find out**

 **NightLightning21**


	46. The End of the Edge

The End of the Edge

Astrid sat by his bed for three days. She didn't eat, barely slept, and drank enough to keep her alive.

"Astrid?" came the gentle voice, accompanied with a hand on her shoulder. Astrid blinked her eyes open, realizing she had fallen asleep on the chair. She groaned, running a hand through already messy hair.

"Erik?" she asked, shifting slightly on the chair. Bad move. Her back was stiff from sitting for hours.

"Astrid," Erik said again. "You need to get some rest." Astrid groaned again, standing up on tired legs.

"No," she protested. "I need to stay with him. What if something happens. What if I'm not here…" she trailed off, tears forming once again in her eyes.

"I understand," Erik said, prompting a suspicious eyebrow raise from Astrid.

"Since when?" she asked, curious about what exactly he was talking about. Erik gave her a small bitter smile.

"I wasn't always a hunter," he explained, shrugging. He led them both outside, allowing Astrid to finally get some fresh air.

"I lived with my mother for the first part of my life. But throughout it all, I knew something was wrong. She was always worried. I felt like if I ever left. Or if she did. I would never see her again." He shrugged, blinking back a few tears.

"And eventually, I was taken."

"By Viggo?" Astrid confirmed. Erik just nodded duly.

"I just don't know anymore," she admitted. "By all means, he should be dead by now. The dragon root arrows will kill a human. But… but even after three days… he's still alive."

"It's Hiccup," Erik reminded her. "He's a survivor. So do not doubt that he will survive. He's fighting. Even if you can't see it. He's fighting with everything he can to get back to you." Astrid smiled, allowing a solitary tear to drip soundlessly to the ground.

"Who knew you could be so sensitive." She smiled slightly.

"I wouldn't have been without my mother," Erik said honestly. "She taught me everything I needed to know."

"Have you ever considered," she paused for a moment. "Have you ever considered trying to find her?" she asked. Waited patiently for an answer.

"I found myself wanting to. But I never dared search for her. Because I was not sure what would happen if I did find her. My father was merciful that night. His only goal was getting me. But if he saw her again…" he trailed off, allowing Astrid to realize what he was implying.

"Now come on," Erik said, brushing off their previous conversation like they were talking about dinner. "I'm sure Fishlegs wouldn't mind sitting with Hiccup. As for you. Food. And sleep. Now."

Hiccup was still unconscious. After three days, and heading into the fourth. Astrid knew he couldn't survive much longer. She'd messaged Stoick the day before, telling him to come as quickly as he could. Now, she saw he was here.

"Where's my son?" he demanded, hopping off Skullcrusher. He almost ran to Astrid, the terror very clear on his face.

"I'm so sorry," she choked out, half breaking down in front of him.

"There there," he soothed, putting an arm around her. "What's happened? What's wrong with Hiccup? You said he wasn't waking up?" Astrid nodded jerkily.

"I'll take you to him," she said, brushing hair out of her eyes. Stoick watched her leave, a mixture of pity, empathy, and agony washing over him. She'd already taken on so much. And to be forced time and time again to fight for her life. She had a real spirit. That's for sure.

"I… he's unconscious," Astrid said hesitantly. She opened the door, leading the way into Hiccup's room.

"Oh son," Stoick gasped, running to his bed. Astrid hung back, allowing the father to have a moment.

"What did this to him?" he managed to choke out, sounding strangled.

"A dragon hunter arrow," Astrid said, voice cracking again. She pointed to the wound on his side, where the arrow had torn through.

"Oh Hiccup," Stoick muttered, rubbing his eyes, trying in vain to wipe back the tears.

"The other riders have been trying to figure out an antidote," Astrid said, desperate to try and reassure him. The look in his eyes was breaking her heart all over again.

"Do you know if there is one?" he asked, a tiny spark of hope in his eyes.

"We're working on developing one," Astrid said, trying to look hopeful. But she saw the hope in his eyes whither and dim.

"Astrid Hofferson?" came a voice from the doorway. Astrid spun around to see Mala limping forward.

"Mala!" she exclaimed, rushing over to help the queen.

"I'm quite alright," Mala said, quickly covering the wince when she stumbled over a raised floorboard.

"Not even," Astrid refuted gently. "Come on. We should go to the other riders. And after that, you are going back to bed," she said, only hoping that the queen would listen.

"It's a deal," Mala said, leading the way out.

"What happened?" Stoick asked softly.

"She was cut by one of the hunters," Astrid explained. "She was defending the edge."

The entered the doors to Fishlegs' hut, where the rest of the riders were gathered.

"Mala?" Fishlegs asked, not expecting to see the queen so soon. "Aren't you supposed to be on bedrest?" he asked, gesturing to her leg.

"I'm not dead," she retorted. "Besides, I may be able to help. I just haven't been able to actually see the facts you guys have."

"Any progress?" Astrid asked, the flicker of hope in her heart igniting again. Snotlout shook his head sadly.

"There's nothing in any of the books about the effects of dragon root to humans." Astrid closed her eyes, the flicker dying just as quickly as it came. It was her daily heartbreak. She would come in, daring herself to pray for a miracle. Only to watch her nightmares unfold again. It was like she was the one getting shot with an arrow.

"Dragon root?" Mala asked, tipping her head.

"It's a plant similar to dragon nip. But much more potent," Fishlegs explained.

"It makes the dragons go crazy," Tuffnut added on.

"You mean the fighting fruit?" Mala asked, eyes lighting up.

"You've heard of it?" Astrid asked, blue eyes quickly brightening.

"Yes," Mala said, her lips curving into a smile. "And we have the cure."

* * *

Hiccup closed his eyes again, unwilling to face the light again. A concerned growl forced him to finally wake up though. He'd been recovering for the past two days. Astrid had gently explained what had happened to him, while he hung between wakefulness and sleep.

The skrill's blast had killed Johan instantly. But the arrow had already been fired. He'd been flown clear, at least being spared from a shocking painful death there. Toothless had dived to get him, but he was still injured. The hunters had been captured by the rest of the riders as well as Berk and Mala's people.

"Ah son, you're finally up," came the booming voice of his father. Hiccup smiled, and forced himself up. He sat up, pushing the covers away from his shoulders. He almost choked when he saw what his father was holding. A ring. One that he had found.

"What's this son?" Stoick asked, giving him a knowing look.

"What, oh that?" Hiccup asked, trying to downplay it. "I just found it. Well, I mean I found the diamond. And I made the ring part out of a piece of gold I found on Viggo's ship."

"Aye," Stoick said, waiting to ask the bigger question. "So, what are you planning to do with this ring of yours?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Hiccup blushed bright red.

"Well, I was thinking of giving it to Astrid," he said, head down. "Along with a… a… a proposal…" The next thing he knew was the crushing of his bones as his father gave him a massive bear hug.

"You're a right good lad," Stoick said, giving him an affectionate pat. "And proposing with a ring. What a good idea. Better than the usual. You're a good lad. Now, go get her."

Hiccup wiped his hands on his pants, feeling sweat collect again. He held the ring in his pocket, although it felt more like a boulder, weighing him down.

"Oh, hey Hiccup," Astrid said, walking up to the rider. "I was just out looking at the sunset." She pointed to the fiery glow on the horizon.

"Uh, yeah," Hiccup said, taking her hand. He led them to the highest point on the edge, a hill overlooking the bay.

"Look Astrid," he began, biting his lip nervously.

"I… I really need to tell you something."

"You can tell me anything," Astrid said kindly. This was it. Hiccup took a deep breath. And pulled out the ring.

"This is for you," he said, handing her the ring. She gasped, blue eyes lighting up with delight.

"It's beautiful," she said, slipping it onto a finger.

"There's something that comes along with it," Hiccup admitted, now barely able to breathe. Astrid raised her eyebrow, but allowed him to continue.

"Marry me," Hiccup blurted out, half a question, half a begging plea. Astrid simply smiled, holding his hand.

"Happily," she said, kissing his cheek. Hiccup felt a huge weight lifted from his chest. Yes. She'd said yes. He broke out into a grin, pulling her into another kiss.

"And the Edge?" Astrid asked, looking deep into his eyes. Typical Astrid. She'd said yes to his proposal, then moved on like it was nothing.

"Let's go back to Berk," Hiccup suggested. "We can start something new there." Astrid happily leaned her head into his chest.

"Yeah. Something new."

* * *

 **At that concludes an epic story. For more than a year, I've allowed it to guide me on an amazing journey. It's been so much fun to bring this characters to life in this story. And you guys have been amazing. However, I'll be back. Probably. Who knows what the future will bring. I would happily revisit the characters in the future, with a new arc. But for now, thanks for everything.**

 **NightLightning21**


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